Show experiments show narcotic effect on brain narcotics such as tobacco and alcohol dampen the fires of the brain test tube experiments with minced brain tissue and slices of the cortex the thinking part of the brain which show this hitherto unsuspected effect were described before the british association for the advancement of science by dr J H quartel Qu astel oxford university biochemist bio chemist the brain me like every other part of the body serves as a furnace in w which hi 1 ch sugars and starches the fuel of life are burned by means of the oxygen carried in the blood stream this process provides the energy for mental activities even in relatively low concentrations dr quartel explained the narcotics greatly inhibit the consumption by the cerebral cells of certain of the breakdown products of the sugars and starches notably the blood sugar glucose and the acid which is one of the intermediary substances in the brain burning process the explanation probably is to be found dr quartel said in some physiological substance as yet undiscovered which is extremely sensitive to the narcotics and which acts as a carrier of hydrogen in the complicated chemical process of tissue respiration the report formed part of a symposium on a new field of the chemistry of life the precise processes by which the body transforms foodstuffs into the energy of living by the oxygen combining or burning process it has been impossible to study this in living organisms but light now is being shed on it by improved test tube techniques it is the basic process of life itself A revolutionary development declared clar ad prof R A of oxford has bas been the finding that the oxygen which comes out of the cell iq r the form of carbon dioxide is not the same oxygen which entered the final combustion with its liberation of energy he said now la Is known to be due to a succession of oxidations with well defined and highly specific stages each stage he said is known to depend on certain catalysts or enzymes normally present in the body these are substances which set oft off a ch chemical emice process such as a burning without being themselves effic effected ted by it this function is believed to be served by various vitamins deficiency in any one of which may make the flames flame of life burn bum very dimly |