208 OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



to do the additional work that is thrown upon them ; but, 

 sooner or later, they fail under the burden, and become 

 diseased. 



282. Effect of Alcohol upon the Skin. As we have 

 already learned in previous sections, the paralyzing action 

 of alcohol results in a dilatation of the arteries and the capil- 

 laries. Now, it is evident that the skin, like any other active 

 organ, depends for its nourishment upon the proper circu- 

 lation of the blood. Hence, if this circulation is interfered 

 with, the skin lacks its chief element of vitality. 



The flushed and warm face, so often noticed after taking 

 a very moderate amount of alcoholic liquor, is due to the 

 temporary dilatation of the capillaries in the skin. If the 

 use of alcoholic beverages is continued for a long period, 

 this dilatation of the blood vessels becomes permanent. The 

 tiny capillaries about the face are often seen running their 

 crooked course just under the skin of the nose and the 

 cheeks. 



The skin, as we know, is the chief regulator of the loss 

 of heat from the body. When we drink alcoholic liquors, 

 more blood is carried to the surface and more heat passes 

 by radiation from the skin into the cold air. Thus, heat 

 which is needed elsewhere, especially in cold weather, is 

 lost. In other words, the surface of the body is warmed 

 at the expense of its vital organs within. 



The skin also plays an important part in the excretion 

 of waste matters. If the circulation of the skin is dis- 

 turbed, as it is by alcohol, so that it is unable to do its 

 portion of work in the process of excretion, more work is 

 required of the kidneys. These important organs are then 

 overworked, resulting in more or less disturbance of the 

 general health. 



