72 HUMAN BIOLOGY 



ilar effects follow even the moderate use of liquor by human 

 beings, as the following paragraphs will show. 



94. Effect of the moderate use of alcohol on mental 

 activity. — " Few causes are more effective in leading to the 

 abuse of alcohol than the idea that when one finds difficulty 

 in doing a thing it may be accomplished more easily by hav- 

 ing recourse to beer, or wine, or whisky for their ' stimulating ' 

 effect. In general, so far is this from being the truth that 

 the person seeking such aid is really using a hypnotic and a 

 depressant. Obviously he would be acting more wisely to 

 adopt other methods of accomplishing his end. Nor is this 

 conclusion merely theoretical. Brain workers who wish 

 to " keep a clear head " almost imiversally avoid alcoholic 

 drinks, at least until work is over. And even among those , 

 who do drink it is customary to avoid drinking until the 

 day's work is done." ^ 



95. Effect of a moderate use of alcohol on muscular ac- 

 tivity. — That the general effect of alcoholic drinks on muscu- 

 lar activity is a depressant rather than a stimulant was 

 shown by experiments on English soldiers during forced 

 marches in Africa. " It was found that when a ration of rum 

 was served out, the soldier at first marched more briskly, but 

 after about three miles had been traversed the effect of it 

 seehied to be worn off, and then he lagged more than before. 

 If a second ration were given, its effect was less marked, and 

 wore off sooner than that of the first. A ration of beef tea, 

 however, seemed to have as great a stimulating effect as 

 one of rum, and not to be followed by any secondary depres- 

 sion." — T. Lauder-Brijntgn. 



96. Effect of a moderate use of alcohol on manual dexter- 

 ity. — A German scientist determined the effect of alcohol 



' Hough and Sedgwick, ."The Human Mechanism." 



