Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-01-26
EXTRACTS,
From DR.. Sercll's Address before tie
Washington City Temperance Society.

system, produced ny ardent spiril, tOt
important and interesting to leave uncX-
amined. 1t is that predisposition to dis
ease and death which SO strongly charac-
terizes the drunkard in every station o
life.
1t is unqucstionably true, that many o
the surrounding objects in nature, arc
constantly tending to mans destruction
The excess Of heat and cold, humidity
and dryness, the vicissitudcs of the sea-
son, noxious eXhalations from the earth
the floating atoms in the atmosphere, the
poisonous vapours from decomposcd ami
mails and vegetable matter, with many
other invisible agents, are eNertlng THEN
deadly influence; and were it not that
every part of his ystcm is endowed with
a scli-preserving power,a prime pie of eX-
citability, or in other words, vital prin-
ciple, the operations of the economy
would cease, and dissolution OF his or
ganic structure take place. But this
principle being implanted in the system,
reaction takes place, and thereby a Wig
orous contest is maintained with the war
ring elements without, as well rs with the
principle of decay within.
1t is thus that man is enabled to en-
dure from year to year, the tolls and ia
tgues of life, the variations of heat and
cold, and the vicissitudes of the season..
that he is enabled to traverse every re-
gion of the globe, and to live with al
most equal ease under the equator, and
in the frozen regions of the north. 1t is
by this power that all his functions are
performed, from the commencement to
the close of life.
The principle of cxcitability exists in
the highest degree in the infant, g dimin-
ishcs at every succeeding period of life f;
and if man is not cut down by disease or
violence, he struggles on, and finally
dies natural death; death occasioned
by the exhaustion of the principle of eX-
citability.
1t is also true, that artificial stimulus
in whatever way applied, tends constant
ly to exhaust the principle of cXcitablllty
of tho system, and this in proportion to
its intensity, and the freedom with which
it is applied.
But there is still another principle on
which the use of ardent spirit predispos-
cs the drunkard to disease and DEATH
1t acts on the blood, impairs its vitality
deprivcs it of its red colour, and thereby
renders it unfit to stimulate the heart, and
other organs through which it circulatcs;
unfit also, to supply the materials for the
different secrctions, and to rcnoyatc the
different tissues of the body, as well as
to sustain the energy of the brain; ofil-
ces which it can perform only, while II
retains its vcrmillon colour, and other
arterial properties. The blood of the
drunkard is several shades darker in its
colour, than that of temperate persons,
and also coagulates less readily and firm
ly, and is loaded with serum; appearan-
ces which Indicate that it has exchanged
its arterial properties for those Of the ven
Gus blood. This is the cause of the liv-
id complexion of the incbriatc, which SO
strongly marks him in the advanced stage
of intemperance. Hence, too, all the
functions of his body are sluggish, irreg-
ular, and the whole system loses its tone
and its energy. If ardent spirit, when
taken into the system, cXhaus!s the vital
principle of the solids, it destroys the VI
tai principle of the blood also; and iftak-
Ell in large quantities, produces sudden
death; and in which case the blood, as
in death produced by lightning, by OPT
um, or by violent and long continued cx-
ertion does not coagulate.
The principles laid down are PLAIN
and of easy application to the case before
Us.
The nebriatc, having by the habitual
use of ardent spirit exhausted to a great
er or less extent, the principle of cxclta-
bility in the solids, the power OF reaction;
and the blood having become incapable
of performing its Office also, he is alike
predisposed to every disease, and render
ed liable to the nroads Of every invading
foe. So far, therefore, from protecting
the system against disease, intemPer-
ancc ever constitutes one oil It's strongest
prcdisposing causes.
Supcraddcd to this, whenever disease
does lay its grasp upon the drunkard, the
powers olllic being already cnlccDicd ny
the stimulus of ardent spirit, he uncNpcct-
cdly sinks IN the contest, and but too ire
qucntly to the modification oihls ply
ian, aud the surprise and grief OF hIs
friends. Indeed, incbrlallon so cniccbles
the powers of life, so modiiics the charac-
ter of disease and 50 changes the opera
ton of medical agents, that unless ,nc
young physician has studied thoroughly
the constitution of the drunkard, he has
but partially learned his profession, y Is not
fit for practitioner of the present age
Il These are the true reasons why u
drunkard dies so easy, and from such
slight causes.