POSITION OF ALCOHOL 75 



of sickness they furnish the best amount of stimulation 

 with the least amoimt of harm, but must never be con- 

 sidered as a substitute for nutriment. 



Alcohol. 



Relation of the study of alcohol to physiology, — Owing 

 to the fact that the use of alcohol is so widespread among 

 men, and tha,t this use has been so productive of evil, many 

 societies have been formed throughout the country to 

 fight this' tendency. One of the objective points of the 

 work of these societies has been to inform the public of 

 the effects of alcohol upon the human system. To this 

 end, through legislation, they have made the study of the 

 effects of alcohol a required part of the course in physi- 

 ology in the public schools of the country. 



Since the science of physiology has as its sole object 

 the explanation of life processes, so far as the most careful 

 experiments of competent investigators have made such 

 explanation possible, we shall consider the effects of alcohol 

 upon the human system from the following view points 

 only: 



{a) Its proper position among the substances which 

 affect the action of the body organs. 



(&) The statement of the effects, direct or indirect, which 

 its use has upon the action or structure of the organs of the 

 body. 



In the present chapter we shall consider alcohol mainly 

 from the first view point. The statements concerning 

 these effects represent the views of highest authorities. 



Position of alcohol. — Much time has been spent in try- 

 ing to answer the question as to whether alcohol is a food 



