CHAPTER XIII 

 ALCOHOL 



FROM the cerebrum of the horse being less developed 

 than that of human beings arises the fact of the sensory 

 centres being also less highly developed than the motor 

 centres, while the contrary is the case with man. For this 

 reason alcohol does not act in the same way on animals as on 

 human beings, for with the former the drug stimulates the 

 motor functions before it acts on the intelligence, whereas 

 with man the mind is aifected before his power of movement 

 is disturbed. In a book published by Mr. Finlay Dunn, 

 which is a standard work of the veterinary profession, he 

 writes thus on the subject : " Different classes of animals 

 are somewhat differently affected by alcohol. Man, whose 

 intellectual centres are about eight times larger than his 

 motor centres, has his intelligence quickly acted on by doses 

 which are insufficient to impair his motor functions. 

 Amounts corresponding to 0'4 to the 1,000 of the total 

 weight of the body disturb human intelligence ; while 2*40 

 per 1,000 of weight are needed to impair motor function. 

 Alcohol has no notable effect on dogs until 1*5 to the 1,000 

 of body weight is taken, and the prominent results then 

 occurring are disturbance, not of intelligence, but of motor 

 function. Horses and cattle receiving full doses exhibit 

 like excitement, and perversion of motor function." 



Although these remarks may be perfectly correct with 

 regard to pure alcohol, no suggestion is made as to the 

 vehicle in which it is conveyed into the system ; for instance, 

 it is a well-known fact that with many human beings an 

 amount of champagne will "go to their head " and produce 

 a temporary hesitation of speech, which would not be the 



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