1882.] Prof. Latham, Further observations, <&c: 199 



Such a theory, startling as at first sight it may appear, seems 

 to offer an explanation of many obscure points, and if true to 

 present such an important starting-point for investigating the 

 action of various remedies in health and disease, that I venture 

 now to bring forward one or two points which such a theory may 

 help to explain and then to direct attention to some experiments 

 which seem to prove the truth of the theory, in as marked a 

 manner as though they had been devised for the purpose. 



An objection which may at once be urged against the theory 

 is, that these various alcohols, amylic, ethylic and methylic, have 

 not been detected in the living tissues. But after the administra- 

 tion of ordinary ethylic alcohol internally no one has as yet been 

 able to detect in the blood the ordinary products of its oxidation. 

 What becomes of it then ? 



After the internal administration of alcohol " the weight of 

 evidence appears to be at present in favour of its diminishing the 

 elimination of carbonic acid : although the matter cannot be con- 

 sidered as entirely settled*." 



" Although the matter cannot be considered absolutely settled, 

 yet the present conclusion fairly is that alcohol lessens the excretion 

 of urea*." 



" The investigations certainly demonstrate that but a small 

 proportion of ingested alcohol is either eliminated from or accu- 

 mulated in the body, and consequently that it must be oxidised 

 in the body and in some degree partake of the nature of a food. 

 It has been objected to this that no one has as yet been able to 

 detect in the blood any of the ordinary products of its oxidation ; 

 the probable reason of this is however, that the oxidation is carried, 

 as it were, at one bound to its ultimate end, the production of 

 water and carbonic acid*f*." 



DuchekJ thought that he had demonstrated the presence of 

 aldehyde in the blood of animals poisoned with alcohol, but his 

 experiments were really not carried far enough to prove it. 



Dr Hammond's§ experiments indicate that it is a food; for he 

 gained weight, when taking it, upon a diet, which he had pre- 

 viously proved insufficient by itself to maintain his bodily weight. 



In such a way, so far as its transformation is concerned, may 

 be briefly summarised all that is known respecting the history of 

 alcohol in the living body. As alcohol it passes into the system, 

 sooner or later it passes out, possibly as carbonic acid and water. 

 As regards our present knowledge of the sojourn of oxygen in the 

 living tissues it has been very aptly said, " We cannot as yet 



* Wood's Therapeutics, 2nd Ed. 1877, p. 117. t lb. pp. 118, 119. 



+ Viertelj. filr die pract. Heilk., Bd. in. 1853. 

 § Physiolog. memoirs, Philad. 1863. 



