1870] 



Alcohol on the Human Body. 



381 



The mean amounts are as follows : — 



Mean amount of Mean amount 



water taken in of 



Period. food and drink. urine passed. 



cub. centims. cub. centims. 



First period (without alcohol). . . . 2059 1219 



Second period (with alcohol) .... 1935 1361 



Third period (with water) 2059 1321 



Fourth period (with brandy) .... 1889 1380 



Fifth period (with water) * 2059 1337 



As the amount of urine increased in the alcoholic period 142 cub. 

 centims., while the water taken was less by 124 cubic centims., and the 

 same result in a less degree occurred in the brandy period, there is no doubt 

 that the alcohol increased the urinary water. Whether this was the con- 

 sequence, as seems possible, of the greater frequency of the heart's action, 

 or whether it arose from any purely diuretic influence of the alcohol, is un- 

 certain. Was the body left poorer in water, or was the exit through the 

 skin or lungs hindered ? 



As 4'3 ounces less of water passed in, aud 5*3 ounces more passed out, 

 in the alcoholic period, and as the mean amount of alcohol passing in was 

 under 5 fluid ounces, the body ought to have lost weight, and perhaps 

 would have done so but for one circumstance. 



The possible amount of change of weight in this way would be of course 

 slight, viz. about 4 ounces, and it happened that there was a less excretion 

 of alvine matter (viz. 1 ounce less daily than during the first period), which 

 would tend to cover the possible loss of water by the increased flow of urine. 

 Also the error of the machine may be one ounce. We draw the conclu- 

 sion that there was no decided evidence of lessening of elimination of water 

 by other channels sufficient to account for the increased urinary flow. 



The Nitrogen of the Urine. 



The urea of 24 hours was determined by Liebig's mercuric nitrate solu- 

 tion, the chlorine being got rid of ; and, in addition, the total nitrogen was 

 determined by burning with soda-lime after the method of Yoit, and lead- 

 ing the ammonia into a standard solution of sulphuric acid. In this way 

 any error in the determination by either process was sure to be detected. 



