118 THE HUMAN BODY. 



that on the stomach, but much less ; because most of it is 

 absorbed before reaching that part of the canal. 



6, Alcohol is carried to the liver by the blood. 

 Alcohol irritates the liver, arid causes an overfullness of 



its blood-vessels. 



Alcohol often excites inflammation of the liver. This 

 is followed by various changes, one of the most notable 

 of which is a contraction into a hard, knobbed mass, 

 called, in medical works, gin-drinker's liver. 



7, Thus the power of digesting food, which is the source 

 of health and strength, is assailed by alcohol at two im- 

 portant points, in the stomach, and in the liver. 



8, The effect of alcohol on the kidneys may be referred 

 to here, because it is similar to its effect on the liver. The 

 kidneys are purifying organs. The blood is constantly 

 passing through them, and they filter out of it waste 

 matters. Blood charged with alcohol irritates them, and 

 excites, frequently, a slow inflammation, which results in 

 their destruction. This is one of the forms of Bright's 

 disease, and in most cases is incurable. 



9, These effects do not always follow the use of alcohol, 

 but in very many cases they do. They are the possibili- 

 ties and dangers of the drug. 



QUESTIONS. 



SECTION I. 1, Why do we need food ? 



2, What is the alimentary canal ? 



3, 4, What is its length and diameter ? 



5, What important tissue in its wall ? 



6, What is mucous membrane? 



7, Give the divisions of the alimentary canal. 



