(Dii Mine nrinhing, anb its dEffccts 

 oil tijc Dummi lot)]). 



By G. MUNllO SMITH, M.E.C.S., T..R.C.P. 



/CONSIDERING the growing importance of the subject 

 ^^ of alooliolic drinks, and the enormous consumption 

 of wine in this and other countries, I thought it might 

 bo of interest to gather together what is known as to its 

 action on our tissues, endeavouring to sift out what is 

 merely conjectural or false from what is reliable. With 

 this object I have put together the following notes. Of the 

 other vehicles by which alcohol is taken, I wish to say 

 nothing, the subject is too large ; and I am inclined more- 

 over to think that amongst the most important part of the 

 community, the educated classes, the effects, good or bad, 

 of alcohol are generally due to wine, not to spirits or beer. 

 Neither do I wish to touch upon the questions of morality, 

 social or individual, which the subject natui-ally evokes. 



There are certain corollaries which inevitably follow 

 any definite knowledge as to the physical effects ; but until 

 that knowledge is tolerably certain, such deductions can 

 only lead to confused assertion and denial, not to rules fit 

 for any man's guidance. 



We must distinguish at the outset between wine-drinking 



