598       Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.    { ADeimber^  i9oom" 
ALCOHOL  VS.  FOOD  IN  NUTRITION. 
In  closing  an  article  on  this  subject  (Jour.  Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  1900, 
p.  65),  Dr.  W.  S.  Hall  gives  some  of  the  demonstrated  facts  which 
we  possess  regarding  alcohol  and  food  in  their  relation  to  nutrition. 
ALCOHOL. 
( 1)  A  certain  quantity  will  produce 
a  certain  effect  at  first,  but  it  requires 
more  and  more  to  produce  the  same 
effect  when  the  drug  is  used  habitu- 
ally. 
(2)  When  used  habitually  it  is 
likely  to  induce  an  uncontrollable 
desire  for  more,  in  ever-increasing 
amounts. 
(3)  After  its  habitual  use  a  sudden 
total  abstinence  is  likely  to  cause  a 
serious  derangement  of  the  central 
nervous  system. 
(4)  Alcohol  is  oxidized  rapidly  in 
the  body. 
(5)  Alcohol,  not  being  useful,  is  not 
stored  in  the  body. 
(6)  Alcohol  is  a  product  of  decom- 
position of  food  in  the  presence  of  a 
scarcity  of  oxygen. 
(7)  Alcohol  is  an  excretion  and,  in 
common  with  all  excretions,  is  poi- 
sonous. It  may  be  beneficial  in  cer- 
tain phases  of  disease,  but  it  is  never 
beneficial  to  the  healthy  body. 
(8)  The  use  of  alcohol,  in  common 
with  narcotics  in  general,  is  followed 
by  a  reaction. 
(9)  The  use  of  alcohol  is  followed 
by  a  decrease  in  the  activity  of  the 
muscle-cells  and  the  brain-cells. 
( 10)  The  use  of  alcohol  is  followed 
by  a  decrease  in  the  secretion  of  C02. 
(11)  The  use  of  alcohol  is  followed 
by  an  accumulation  of  fat  through 
decreased  activity. 
(12)  The  use  of  alcohol  is  followed 
by  a  fall  in  body-temperature. 
(13)  The  use  of  alcohol  weakens  and 
unsteadies  the  muscles. 
(14)  The  use  of  alcohol  makes  the 
brain  less  active  and  accurate. 
FOOD. 
(1)  A  certain  quantity  will  produce 
a  certain  effect  at  first,  and  the  same 
quantity  will  always  produce  the 
same  effect  in  the  healthy  body. 
(2)  The  habitual  use  of  food  never 
induces  an  uncontrollable  desire  for  it 
in  ever-increasing  amounts. 
(3)  After  its  habitual  use  a  sudden 
total  abstinence  never  causes  any 
derangement  of  the  central  nervous 
system. 
(4)  All  foods  are  oxidized  slowly  in 
the  body. 
(5)  All  foods,  being  useful,  are 
stored  in  the  body. 
(6)  All  foods  are  the  products  of 
constructive  activity  of  protoplasm  in 
the  presence  of  abundant  oxygen. 
(7)  All  foods  are  formed  by  nature 
for  nourishment  and  are  by  nature 
wholesome  and  always  beneficial  to  the 
healthy  body,  though  they  may  injure 
the  body  in  certain  phases  of  disease. 
(8)  The  use  of  foods  is  followed  by 
no  reaction. 
(9)  The  use  of  food  is  followed  by 
an  increased  activity  of  the  muscle- 
cells  and  brain-cells. 
(10)  The  use  of  food  is  followed  by 
an  increase  in  the  excretion  of  C02. 
(11)  The  use  of  food  may  be  fol- 
lowed by  accumulation  of  fat,  not- 
withstanding increased  activity. 
(12)  The  use  of  food  is  followed  by 
a  rise  in  body-temperature. 
(13)  The  use  of  food  strengthens 
and  steadies  the  muscles. 
(14)  The  use  of  food  makes  the 
brain  more  active  and  accurate. 
