Conclusions as to the influence of alco hol upon tissue-growth and cell-growth summed up as follows: 1. Alcohol acts primarily on the nerve-cells, changing their granular matter, breaking up their nutrition, and changing their dynamic force. 2. This action is followed by con traction and atrophy of the dendrites; shrinking of cell-walls, as in fatigue; and coalescence and disappearance of the granular protoplasm. 3. The special in jury from alcohol seems to be on proto plasm and terminal tibres of nerve trunks; the irritation and inflammation of the nerve-walls and fibres ending in sclerosis are common. 4. Alcohol acts on the leucocytes, checking their activity, and destroying their function. These are driven in masses by the increasing rapid ity of the heart, and become blocked in the capillaries, forming centres of ob struction and injury. 5. The use of al cohol is followed by diminution of the carbon dioxide and all waste•elimination, with marked sensorial palsy and slow ing of all mental actions. T. D. Crothers (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc., Nov. 26, '9S).
Alcohol has, in general, a very slight germicidal action. At normal tempera tures it may kill non-spore-bearing bac teria, but not the spore-bearers. Its action is strongest in 50- to 70-per-cent. strength and weakest when in strongest concentration (absolute alcohol). When boiled, or heated under pressure, it acts according to its percentage of contained water. Alcoholic solutions of disinfect ants have less effect than the correspond ing aqueous solutions, and their germi cidal power varies inversely as the strength of the alcohol in which they are dissolved. Rafael Minervini (Zeitsch. f. Hyg. u. Infects., Oct. 25, '98).
Actual state of scientific knowledge on the total-abstinence question. After tak ing small amounts of alcohol there is an apparent temporary increase of brain activity, which is but as an evidence of the paralyzing and deleterious effect of alcohol. It destroys the special function of the cerebellum, and produced tremor and weakness of the lower limbs. In chronic alcoholism the dendrites of the pyramidal nerve-cells show swellings and shrinkages, and there is wide-spread pig mentation in the nerve-cells. Even small closes of alcohol at meals have a dele terious influence, and total abstinence must be the course of those who wish to follow the plain teaching of truth. Vic tor Horsley (Lancet, May 5, 1900).
Alcohol decreases elimination and in creases waste-products. The clear in dication of the autointoxication of alco hol is seen when functional and organic symptoms disappear by abstinence.
Crothers (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc., Apr. 27, 1901).
Alcohol is a narcotic poison. Its food value under ordinary conditions is prac tically nil, and, put in the most advan tageous light, can only be temporary, and then of an extraordinary slight and wasteful character. G. Sims Woodhead (Edinburgh Med. Jour., Aug., 1901).
Series of experiments to determine the influence of alcohol upon the secretion of the gastric juice: upon a case of gastroptosis, one of hysteria, one of atony of the stomach, after gastro-en terostomy, and one of gastro-enteritis. The alcohol was administered per rec tum, and the patient took no nourish ment by the mouth. It was found that the enema caused an active secretion of gastric juice provided the amount of alcohol was not less than 7 to 10 cubic centimetres. The acidity reached its maximum about an hour after the in jections, and then gradually decreased. In two cases of achylia due to carcinoma of the stomach no effect was observed. B. Spiro (Mtinchener med. Woch., No. 47, 1901).
Alcoholic Poisoning. — The toxic ef fects of alcohol are those of an irritant poison, and may be acute or chronic. The acute form of alcoholic poisoning occurs when an excess has been taken at once or within a short interval of time. In the milder form the ingested alcohol produces intense irritation of the stom ach, with increased secretion of a mucus altered in character, nausea, and vomit ing. The kidneys are the seat of irrita tion, the result of which is an increased secretion of urine. If the irritation be too intense, the glomeruli may become so swollen as to diminish or even pre vent the secretion of urine, in which latter case acute temporary suppression of urine results. The blood becomes charged with the abnormal products (through the abnormal condition of the stomach and its secretions), and these are excreted by the renal organs in the form of uric and oxalic acids, oxalate of lime, and urates; and, from over stimulation of the nervous system and excessive glandular activity, the triple phosphates, with altered pigment-matter; so that, following an alcoholic excess, a large quantity of pale urine is followed later by a highly-colored, strong-smell ing secretion. When enormous quantities are ingested, more serious symptoms, sometimes even followed by death, re sult. The symptoms point to intense gastro-intestinal irritation, with irrita tion of the cerebrospinal system so great as to produce convulsions, coma, or death.