2. In the unfatigued muscle alcohol lessens the extent of its maximum con traction, owing to decrease of peripheral irritability of the nervous system.
3. In the fatigued muscle alcohol in creases the working capacity, as its extensibility is increased.
4. A fatigued muscle, however, under the influence of alcohol, never attains to the working power of an unfatigued muscle, because the lessening of the peripheral nervous irritability by the alcohol interferes with the development of its full working power.
5. The action of alcohol on muscle is developed in a very few minutes after it has been swallowed, and lasts a con siderable time.
C. In all cases the alcohol diminishes the feeling of fatigue, and the work ap pears easier.
7. After moderate amounts of alcohol the increase is not followed by any de crease in the muscular power of fatigued muscles; after large amounts of alcohol the symptoms of muscular paresis are prominent, and increase with the dose.
Alcohol, therefore, has a twofold action on muscular work: first, on the nervous system it diminishes centrally the feeling of fatigue, and peripherally the excita bility; while, secondly, it furnishes food material which can be oxidized to pro duce energy and work, Hermann Fey (Edinburgh Med. Jour., Sept., '97).
Series of investigations on effects of alcohol. One ounce of alcohol greatly reduced the perception (Ach). Capacity for calculating lessened, hut, while alco hol lessened the ability to reckon accu rately, the work was easier (Vogt). The capacity for physical work increased about one-third after the ingestion of alcohol, but in ten minutes this increase had almost entirely disappeared. It did not really increase the strength. When alcohol is added to the fatigue products of the muscles the depressing effect be comes very marked. Rest after taking alcohol prevents any noticeable diminu tion in strength; but, if the action demands the utilization of strength, fatigue rapidly comes on (Gluck). The effect of alcohol varies remarkably in different men: the degree of sensitive ness to the poison might at times be less in those not addicted to its use than in those accustomed to it (Rodin).
General conclusion that whoever knows the effects of alcohol will not class this substance among the harmless agents. Kraepelin (Munch. med. Wadi., Oct. 17, '99).
According to Harnack, who has closely studied the question, alcohol in small or medium doses exercises simultaneously a stimulating action upon certain func tions and a depressing action upon others. This fact should never be lost sight of; otherwise the physician exposes himself to the danger of injuring instead of benefiting his patient. It should also
never be forgotten that, even in small doses, the paralyzing action of alcohol is exercised most rapidly and most ener getically upon the tonus of the blood vessels,—the importance of which tonus for the regularity of the circulation and the preservation of cardiac energy is well known. For this reason alcohol should be given with caution in cases in which the heart is already enfeebled, as in acute diseases of long duration, or in convalescence from such affections. It sometimes happens that the patients themselves refuse alcoholics; in which case they should never be compelled to take them, but should be given digitalis instead, which, even in small doses (5 minims in 6 ounces of water), acts solely upon the heart, but in this way estab lishes the tone of the blood-vessels. The acceleration of pulse, often observed after the administration of digitalis, is doubtless due to the improved nutrition of the cardiac muscle.
The use of alcohol as a stimulant or tonic in the treatment of disease is de lusive and more or less injurious. By diminishing the internal distribution of oxygen and the activity of the leucocytes it directly diminishes man's vital resist ance to the action of all morbific causes, while by its anesthetic effect on the cere bral convolutions, it lulls him into a false feeling of security. N. S. Davis (Med. Pioneer, Oct., '94).
Alcohol removes, in great measure, the controlling influence of the smaller arter ies on the heart, and causes, also, paresis of the vagus. The result is increase in the number of cardiac beats, dilatation of surface-vessels, a feeling of surface warmth, with reduction of the tempera ture of the body. It can scarcely be considered a food, as in itself it contains no one of the constituents of which the body is made. It gives no warmth to the body. This is proved by the ther mometer. The disuse of it by deer stalkers, Canadian hunters, and Arctic explorers is additional proof of this. It gives no strength. It distinctly weakens the muscles. Professor Parkes realized this by experiment in the last Ashantee War. Acting on the same views, the Great Western Railway, during the alter ation of rails along the whole line, sub stituted oatmeal-gruel for alcohol, be cause the work had to be done with rapidity and with unusual energy. The relief of Chitral tells the same story, and so do our great national games. It does not lengthen life. Long Fox (Bristol Medico-Chir. Jour., Mar., '96).