AliCOHOL AND DISEASES 0¥ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 427 



required for a nervous impulse to travel over the fibers. 

 All such experiments require the subject to perform a cer- 

 tain muscular action upon receiving a certain sensory stim- 

 ulus, and the measure of the time Avhich elapses between 

 the receipt of the sensory impulse and the performance 

 of the action is taken to indicate the rate of transmission of 

 the impulse — the "reaction time " as it is called. By com- 

 paring the reaction time of a person under normal condi- 

 tions with the time when under the influence of definite 

 amounts of alcohol the effect of alcohol can be inferred. 



The results of such experiments are not absolutely con- 

 clusive in regard to the effects of small amounts of alcohol. 

 All, however, tend to show that larger doses of alcohol 

 lengthen the reaction time for all mental processes. The 

 importance of this fact has led all corporations employing 

 men in places where quickness of action, clearness of per- 

 ception, close attention to dut}^, and the like are required, 

 to forbid absolutely the indulgence in alcoholic drinks 

 while performing such duties. Such actions on the part 

 of corporations are significant warnings to us of the danger 

 of this alcohol habit and its tendency to destroy efficiency. 



Alcohol and brain workers. — It follows directly from the 

 preceding that alcohol is not of advantage to the brain 

 worker, and leads to confusion of judgment. One unfor- 

 tunate effect of its use is that in dulling certain control 

 centers it often produces in the indulger the delusion that 

 he is actually keener in perception, when actually this 

 apparent keenness may be only an indication of impaired 

 powers. 



Alcohol and diseases of the nervous system. — Continued 

 use of alcohol lowers the resistance of the body to disease, 

 and it is a well-known fact that hard drinkers often sue- 



