84 A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE 



every experiment and the results are therefore more or less 

 comparable. 



An examination of the data obtained in the manner above 

 indicated shows no constant appreciable influence of alcohol 

 or alcoholic fluids upon the rate of secretion of submaxillary 

 (or sublingual) saliva under the influence of a constant 

 external stimulus. Even large doses of alcohol, sufficient to 

 produce prolonged narcosis, fail to check the salivary flow, 

 a result in striking contrast to the effects which morphine 

 may bring about when used in moderately large doses. We 

 have not infrequently observed, in other experiments, an 

 entire absence of salivary flow even with very strong stimuli, 

 when morphine was unintentionally given in doses larger than 

 were necessary to produce a mild narcosis. On the other 

 hand, there is likewise an absence of any stimulating action on 

 the glands, in our experiments ; at least the slight variations 

 in the rate of flow after alcohol is administered are no greater 

 than those brought about by water alone (cf. third protocol 

 above). On the total solids likewise, the presence of alcohol 

 seems to exercise no noticeable influence. There is a tendency 

 toward decrease in amount as the experiments progress ; this 

 decrease, however, is entirely confined to the organic consti- 

 tuents of the saliva, the salts remaining comparatively constant 

 in amount, as can be seen in the protocols above. The 

 decrease in organic substances is in no way to be attributed 

 to alcohol, since it may be obtained with water alone (cf. 

 protocol third), or in the course of any protracted salivary 

 secretion. Nor is this decrease remarkable when it is remem- 

 bered that a small gland weighing a few grams has furnished 

 50 to 75 grams of saliva in the course of three or four hours. 

 The organic constituents of the cells must thus be exhausted 

 somewhat more rapidly than the anabolic processes of the 

 gland can replace them, while the salts are obtained with 

 relative ease from the blood. Any effect upon the secretion 

 of inorganic salts such as might result in accordance with 

 Langley's law (cf. p. 83) was not observed. A large number 





