228 THE PHENOMENA OF MOTION 



pounds formed by the change of matter, or that of the 

 substance of living tissues, they (the elements of alco- 

 hol) could not combine with oxygen in the body. 



It is, consequently, obvious, that by the use of alco- 

 hol a limit must rapidly be put to the change of matter 

 in certain parts of the body. The oxygen of the arte- 

 rial blood, which, in the absence of alcohol, would have 

 combined with the matter of the tissues, or with that 

 formed by the metamorphosis of these tissues, now 

 combines with the elements of alcohol. The arterial 

 blood becomes venous, without the substance of the 

 muscles having taken any share in the transformation. 



Now, we observe, that the development of heat in 

 the body, after the use of wine, increases rather than 

 diminishes, without the manifestation of a correspond- 

 ing amount of mechanical force. 



A moderate quantity of wine, in women and children 

 unaccustomed to its use, produces, on the contrary, a 

 diminution of the force necessary for voluntary motions. 

 Weariness, feebleness in the limbs, and drowsiness, 

 plainly show that the force available for mechanical pur- 

 poses, in other words, the change of matter, has been 

 diminished. 



A diminution of the conducting power of the nerves 

 of voluntary motion may doubtless take a certain share 

 in producing these symptoms ; but this must be al- 

 together without influence on the sum of available force. 



What the conductors of voluntary motion cannot 

 carry away for effects of force, must be taken up by the 



