353 THE HUMAN BODY. 



hoi, or the repetition of small doses at shert intervals, ends 

 in a fit of drunkenness. 



The disgusting appearance of a drunken man, the loath- 

 ing which he excites even in those most attached to him, 

 the loss of control over his actions, which makes him the 

 prey of criminals, or, yet worse, a criminal himself, taken 

 together make a picture to which the physiologist need add 

 nothing. A man not deterred by its contemplation will 

 not be hindered in the indulgence of his appetite by any 

 argument based on injury to his health. 



Delirium Tremens. Repeated drunkenness usually ends 

 in an attack of delirium tremens, but this disease is more 

 frequently the result of prolonged drinking which has 

 never culminated in actual drunkenness. It is especially 

 apt to occur in "those who drink hard, but keep from 

 actual loss of consciousness, especially those engaged in 

 hard .mental work or subjected to great moral strain or 

 shock ; and, too, those of certain temperaments are pecu- 

 liarly liable to it. It is preceded, usually, by loss of sleep, 

 ideas of persecution or injury, with no foundation in fact, 

 and slight hallucinations, especially at night ; the man, 

 meanwhile, in the day looking anxious, slightly excited, 

 nervous and tremulous, and perhaps narrating as actual 

 occurrences the hallucinations of the preceding night. 

 Then the senses are partly lost; he sees spectres, horrible 

 and foul creatures about him; has all sorts of painful, terri- 

 fying visions (whence the common name of the ' horrors'); 

 is extremely tremulous, and either excited or lies prostrate, 

 trembling violently on movement, sleepless, anxious, and a 

 prey to spectres and terrors of the imagination." * 



Under what conditions may delirium tremens occur? 

 What symptoms usually precede this disease? Describe the con- 

 dition of a person suffering from delirium tremens. 



* Dr. Greenfield, in " Alcohol: its Use and Abuse.'" 



