| Show 6 EVILS OF lecture by given THE EFFECTS ON SYSTEM how it brings about nervousness and other good advice given to drunkards the following is a lecture delivered in Spring villo 01 pure alcohol it id only necessary to say that ic is 11 colorless im llaina blo liquid detol ge TOl at godias fah of an agreeable pungent odor and burnine taste capable ol 01 combining in all with water and ether composed f two equivalents of carbon six of hydrogen and one of oxygen gases its general effect on the system appears to be a universal stimulant it excites the part to which it is applied the circulatory and nervous system the digestive nutritive and productive functions and under favorable circumstances the various secretions are increased but its most characteristic effects are those produced upon the brain alcohol is a generic term ap plied in medicine to different kinds ot ardent spirits distilled from fermented any form ether contained in certain vegetable juices or infusions or dissolved in water as a sugar itself the local effect on the skin and cembrano mem brano is to produce first si cuteness put eness and then more or less pain then heat and red nesa or an application be continued for some time the tissues shrinks and becomes wrinkled and hardened in consequence of its to alie water which it abstracts from the parts to anich it is applied it also coagulates the albumen and bibin of the blood which is thus solid Sed in the tissues its general effect when taken into the stomach produces a feeling of warmth in the stomach which is soon followed by increased frequency and force of she pulse heat and hushing of the face brilliancy of the eyes and characteristic sensation in the head A slight swimming in or giddiness which serves aa a warning to the prudent not to allow the effects of the stimulants to proceed further the spirits are at the same time exhilarated there is a more rapid flow of thought and fancy an increased energy to any emotion or passion that may predominate there is too in general a greater disposition to give expression to the thoughts and feelings of the moment the restraints af modesty and timidity arc removed the tone of voice becomes louder and more energetic and tho limits have an approached which cannot bo transgressed without hazard beyond this point if the drinking be continued the the control over the judgment is lost are betrayed or new ones arise which are by no means creditable persons however are very differently effected agomo are cheerful and good natured others disposed to foundling or of manner others again positively domineering or dis mutations and expressions are often used or of fences taken in the excitement of the moment which not infrequently loads to the saddest results the tl ht can now no longer be connected the ideas become confused fancies are changed into realities and various delusions are apt to occure which often lead to violent acts it is in this state that the follies or deplorable vio lences are with which tho of criminal courts are full everywhere A sort of delirium comes on in common english the individual is drunk at the commencement of intoxication the control of the will over the muscles begins to be impaired and after 1 time it is quiet lost each may contract but the associated action necessary for the attainment of any particular oba act cannot be commanded hence the staggering of the drunkard sand thi erzig zag movements the frequent tumbles and vain efforts to regain their feet at length the disordered functions gradually subside into nervous debility then comes on drowsiness and deep sleep or coma which however the patient may generally be roused more or less compactly if he cannot be roused he is ordinarily said to be dead drunk the pulse upsides along with tho nervous excrement excie ment but though slow remains afteu fulland of a certain strength such as characterizes compressions of lie brain the sleep of insensibility continues for several hours pre liapi from six to ten on the average iud during this period the pulse gradually declines in strength he skin relaxes and not infrequently copious pre takes place the awakening is attended with ia diche general and feelings of and depression the biuso is cool and relaxed while appetite and often vomiting are present also oi nm miness of the mouth with de prea sion of the digestive organs following their excitement condition passes away gradually and under the influence ot cool water fresh air exorcize exer cize and the usual appliances of health the system recovers its tone and in the course of a day or two tries to forgive the mistake of ahe persons who commits it while no trace of the debauch may mcain except perhaps the feeling of degradation these are the symptoms of acute by alcoholic drinks nud thosa aho vho have experienced it will acknowledge alie authenticity of the descriptions tiie dangers of this acute poisoning are too many to commerato lat excessive congestion of the brain may set in or min anitis ad or as ordinarily called a stroke ot paralysis from the same reason as before the constitution of the brain and the ad aud most common one is the inna mation of the brain stomach and bowls which w e meet daily are the results of the importance of this disease are well known to everybody to be afraid of as often incurable disease I 1 am often asked about the moderate use of aliese drinks and my answer is this when a certain limit is never exceeded and is obvious cerebral excitement e it mav be continued by many persons fora lifetime life time without serious injury the system accommodates itself to the stimulus which enters into the regular af life and no observable dafler ance will be noticed between such an individual and another of the same natural constitution who is abstemious except that of the former when from any cause diseased lias probably somewhat less power of resistance and needs more ot artificial arti fical support but if carried to alie border of intemperance or beyond it the stimulants soon makes itself felt in an beford healthy by an activity of the digestive assimilative and nutritive functions more and perhaps richer blood is made out of the same quantity of food and tho system passes into a plethoric condition as by the fuller and stronger bulbe redness of the surface especially of the face at alio same time the increased of habit and waight of body prove that the meditation has been promoted equally with the oilier processes and in fact all the functions of tho organic act are ina higher state of activity tins condition ol 01 things may continue long in a constitution originally well balanced serious injury and the individual may think in a higher state of health lie is however on the brink of disease and the slightest accident may precipitate him into it if a ex cesa is maintained tho conva lancea instead of tho ruddy hue of the of health a deeper tint and a bloated appearance and the signs of excessive indulgence becomes ob viona evan to the moat unobservant after the description of an accuse intoxication by let us consider the chronic or habitual use of alcohol A biest siest diversity of evils arise from the habitual use of alcoholic shall treat them in the order of occur rance first the influence of the system at all times more liable to inflammatory attacks from ordinary causes especially in the earlier stages of ita habitual use or in those persons who employ in such a manner as not to materially impair the energies of their system it has this effect first by inducing a plethoric state of the blood which predisposes to inflammation flam mation and secondly by stimulating the circulation and thereby acting as an exciting carea to the inflammation third conjointly with the use of rich food and stimulating condiments it contributes to the in persona predisposed to this disease from inheritance it hastens its appearance and in those not predisposed to this it is quite sufficient to originate the death isis or tendency towards it this demands an explanation which is very simple first is alie increase in the quantity of blood in the system and as a result an imperfect oxidation or purification in the lungs a low form of chemical change takes place or in chemical terms carbonic and phosphoric acids remain in the system and uniting with the lime salts from the cirbo note and phosphate of lime in the joints as found in the gouty persons there is an exception to this rule however in the cases of those who drink habitually but counteracting ter acting this by proportionally vigorous exercises which consumes the excess by active functions of the body and so prevents the we are more liable to find the gout among those who are engaged in sedentary habits in abord amther among the rich folks another evil arising from the abuse ot alcohol is direct productions of inflammation in the organs upon which its stimulant agency is most strongly exerted sometimes this inflammation is acute but much more frequently it ia chronic and alic necessary result of a long sustained arritt tion the organs udon which alcohol expends its force are on the stomach and anin and secondarily the lungs and the liver these therefore are most frequently affected but fie bowels heart and arteries sometimes participate in the disease evidence of this is exhibited not only by the symptoms during life but by the appearance upon di section every physician ia familiar with chronic gastritis of drunkards drun karda of the brain and its membranes is scarcely less common though the acute state is confounded with delirium cremens tremens and no chronic masked by the disorder in the cerebral functions incident to habitual intoxications reference is often na adein ahe records of insane asylums to intemperance as one of the causes of insanity the duty devolved upon the lungs is partly at least j thrown off in the form of vapor thedor tion of alcohol not expended in the nut dative process hence bronchitis is a common disease of drunkards and other lung are not infrequent the liver is another through which the is thrown off probably in the form of fatty matter this organ therefore ia kept constantly in a state of undue excitation and as a result is not onfre inflamed diseases of the liver are among the common complaints of habitual drunkards and though as will be seen directly it is not exclusively inflammation that occurs yep this does take place in a considerable proportion of cases dr of aberdeen scotland found eleven cases liver an d out of seventy three esses after death oc cured which was to during the life it is not more particularly ticul arly to the other organs mentioned in all of them lessens found which may be best explained by the supposition of previous kofl inflammation lounh from constant stimulation of tha tam especially of the the ex on the withdrawal of the stimulant a condition of extreme prostration hakea place which often ends fatally unless counteracted ter acted by medicines the brain left without its habitual support exhibits its suffering in a peculiar kind of um called delirium cremens tremens aim faros the characteristics of which are singular hallucinations the fear of some present or mp evil sleeplessness and twitching bof alie muscles the inglam lations of the brain is sometimes associated with delirium cremens tremens which makes the case a very complicated one often a patient guided by his insatiable thirst for the poison gives himself up for a period to the most francic indulgence until he is at brought up by an attach of in ll animation of the brain or the these attacks unless promptly and efficiently treated especially cases are very apt to terminate fatally and sometimes do so even under judic oua treatment it is surprising hov much ardaut spirits the system can be broulet bro to bear two or three pints of raw spirits are consumed daily by some confirmed rum drinkers but as just stated even should no organic mischief happen in the mean time the functions must at last fail in relation to the stomach dyspepsia to the bowels and liver secretion are ordinary results the circulatory and functions are also enfeebled the generative functions are and even nu tiia tion at first over stimulated now fail and the patient becomes either ed or pale and bloated the functions of the brain also sumei 3 greatly the intellect is enfeebled the power of self command is lost muscles show degeneration by constant shaking and thence tremors some times deepen into positive paralysis though there is reason to think that by this time the brain has become organically deranged dr guib professor chemical medicine in hon has described a paralytic condition which he nominates alcohol ismus chro nicus and which he ascribes solely to the poison ious influence of alcohol it is very common in sweden where intemperance is said to preva to a fearful extent the affliction shown itself first in tremors and un Bt sadness of the muscles commencing in the upper extremity thena extending to the lower and at length involving the whole body the first failure of the muscles is probably due to cerebral exhaustion but the subsequent result is due to the organic changes in the brain permanently the last stage of the physical degradation is tha failure of both functional and organic powers which leads inevitably to degeneration of the whole system the blood is depraved nutrition suffers and diu erent parts of the frame undergo various changes those being most af fact id the junctions of which having been previously most stimulated are con most exhausted in many instances the vital forces have been so prostrated in particular organs that chemical influences predominate and thes tissues are converted more or less into oil this is the fatty degeneration tha brain stomach liver kidneys and abe heart and blood vessels are peca the seat of this organic alon and their great vital functions suffer accordingly most of them tending to a condition in which the is at last apt to beriah if he has escaped the numerous dangers which have beset him almost from tha beginning and which causes vast numbers to be carried to a premature grave the or fatty liver the granulated kidney the or dilated heart with its various diseases the ossified assi fied blood vessels and the depraved blood deficient in red corp selas but abounding in oil and carbon are the most frequent causes of dropsy appearance on dissection where death occurs suddenly from enor quantities of poison no cal appearance need bo expected after I 1 death the and the brain being t once overwhelmed by the violence of the shock in the more protracted cases of acute the signs of in fl amatory congestion of the stomach are sometimes presented but there is usually congestion of the brain with occasional cas ional effusion into the ventricles which has the odor of and in one instance is said to have been in fl amable congestion of the leugs is also an occasional result of acute alcoholic poisoning and in the case of a child recorded by dr john ashhurst appeared to be the cause of death through the copious effusion into the air passages american journal of of medical science 1863 page cases of habitual drunkards dying either directly from the effects of the poison from suicide or other forms of violent death and from accidental diseases there is almost always some lesson discoverable which be ascribed to the poison sometimes the direct consequence of constant irritation as hypertrophy sometimes of pure deficiency of action As atrophy very frequently or inflammation and still more frequently of various degeneration out of cases examined by dragston Dr only one was discoverable lemiun bf different organs the brain and its appendages were affected in cases or 93 per cent the respiratory organs in 74 or 63 per cent the liver in ag or au per cent the heart and its appen dages including the aorta and ary artery in au or 48 per cent the kid neya in 51 or 44 per cent and intestinal canal in 48 or 41 |
