Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-10-04
MR.. PERKINS, PRIZE ESSAY.

49, SN@ - ~ A
ready foT delivery next week. 1t abOunds with
strong reasoning and irresistible facts, and must
carry conyicliun to the minds Of every reader
that aleohOlic stimulanis are vitality iajuliOusl
to the physical. Intellectual, moral and pecuni.
airy interests Of man. These several PROPOSE
tons are foTcibly demonstrated in the Essay,
and the deductionsdraw therefrOm are corrObOra-
ted IN every respect BY w4itessof the most en-
inens ability and experience. We have before
Us a review Of a new work on :" the use and
abuse Of alcoholic liquors IN health and disease,
by Vim. b. Carpenter, M. ID. Of London, "
work said 10 be one Uf the must valued Of all
the literary productions 10 which the temper
ance reform has given life. It is said such an
array ofarguments on The physicslevils Of alco-
holic drinks has never been presented in a sin
gle essay.
In regard to the merits Of this work, Il Is suf.
hcient to state that its author is uG London Tn;-
Verslty, and one Of the most distinguished liy-
ing psychologists in Engl2ad, and that the prizsof
one hundred gajaeas was awarded to il by a
mighty ustEhed committee Of English physic-
ians, Sdt Of fifteen offered for their decision.
10 discussing the question Of The effects, cor
poreal and mental, of aIcohul upon the human
system, DIR Carpenter states that the most i'm
Portant change Produced by alcohol, is cOrruga-
tIOa, which is a contraction or pickering up Of
The softer paris Of the body. Thus, if a mass
OF hesh in a fresh state, in which il is thorough
" charged with water, is placed in alcohol,
a larger amount Of water is expelled than Of
spirit taken in, and the first result IS a shrink
ing VI animal substance. For one volume of
alcohol retained in the bladder, for instance,
more than three volumes If water are expelled
from it. The aibumen, that substance which
ioruIs the white Of an egg. and which is one Of
the most important paris Of the blood and ele-
menis Of RstEitinns is hssdened-by alcuhuI ;aHd
this increases the Shrinking Of the feshy sub
stance. In this way, the power of forming
muscle is impaired. Another effect Ut alcohol
is ~ dafken tbs coloF Of the ~arterial blood which
Is j. well known. is that BY which life is sup
ported the healthy and uulritire blood being
Of a ford red. while the blood of the veins,
which is purpae, is unfit TO support life.
In regard 10 the immediate effects Of alcohol
&c Iiquors-aad BY this term is meant ieunenlsd
as well as distilled drinks-upon the system
generally, the first is 10 ~iucreass the force and
rapidly VI the hearts cuntrac,lons, producing a
full frequent and strong pulse. With this there
10 an increase Of activity In the different organs
the appetite and digestive powers are increased
and the action of the skin and liver, especially
quickened. The brain is powerfully affected.
There Is not a Uniform eraitafion Of the men.
tal powers, but in some degree a perversion Of
them. The power Of couirul over the opera
lions Of the mind is weakened. and hencs. this
condition borders upon ths commencing stage of
Insanity.
Ia cases Of death BY alcoholic liquors, the ap-
Pearances resemble those Of s4sphy1id ; that
condition which is produced by sufIOcatiOn, by
the fumes Of lighted charcoal, or other poison
Gus airs. In animals poisoned by alcohol this
substance is found il the blood, and tits taken
up So rapidly that in one experiment where the
animal fell liieless immediately after the alco-
iol entered the stomach-ihe motions Of the
heart and lungs ceasing in two minutes-the
stomach was found nearly empty while the
blood was mixed with alcuhol. Thus il would
appear that in urdinary intoxicaiiOa, and in the
greater number Of deaths from alcohol. the e.
fects are produced by the passage Of the spirit
through the blood vessels to the brain. DR..
Percy has shown its presence in considerable
amount in the substance Of The brain,
Ia cases Of sudden death from this cause. the
result seems to be owing to the violent impress
ion made upon the nervous system, whereby
the action Of the heart is suspended, and death
takes place from syneops. Our author states
that there seems To be some special relation be.
tween alcohol and nervous matter, by which
the spirit will seek out, as it were, the latter.
and fasten itself upon it. This tendency is
strongest in regard to the brain.
As opportunity may occur, we may CONTINUE
our notice Of this Essay.