The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-06-11


suresl Indications that man has been drink
ing when the smelI is percep'ible in the breath
Bu' we have still more convincing proof
the smell Of ~hiskey, gin. &C., has been re
peatedy recognized after death. from exces
sive drinking; in The fluid effused into IN,
veniricles Of The brain, the percardum inc m
brane that invests the heari) and other int
nal cavities. DIR. Percy obtained alcohol b,
dIslilla'Ion from the brain of animals poisoned
with alcohol, and also from that of man W he
died from the effects of drinking a bottle oil
rum, and DR.. Christison from a few ounce,
OF The same brain obtained sufficient quan.
thy Of alcohol 10 take fire upon the appl,ca
ton Of q match.
! Blood and Whiskey what a mixture for
the development Of healthy action and he sup.
port Of life We have seen that ",he blood
thereof is the life thereof" See The man in
whose arteries and veins circulates the puro
and unadulterated life blood. His form erect,
his gait steady, his step firm, his reason
unclouded; himself the " "noblest work of
God" But let him by few potatons of
whi-key, rum or GIN, mix that pure life blood
with quantity of alcohol, Immediately the
hfe Of alcohol i' developed f; the gait becomes
totterlng, the hand unsteady. the brain reels,
reason is dethroned, and The man degraded
below the level Of "lhe brutes that PERISH"
Alcohol is ,,lmulant. That is, i, exciles
every organ Of the body with which il 10
brought IN contact, 10 increased action, The
stomach is excited TO digest and absorb moro
rapidly ; The heart and blood vessels are OK.
ciied TO more rigorous action, thus, sending
the exciting poison more rapidly 10 every
part. The BRAIN is excited, and conss quent.
ly, every organ dependent upon the brain for
nervous it fuenee,, is stimulated 10 over &C.
ton. Action and reaction is a law Of the an
Imal economy Every organ urged 20 over
action. will suffer a corresponding debility.
We have a thousand illustrations Of this
principle in the phenomena Of health and dis.
ease. Fever is a state Of over action, hence,
II is always followed by debility. The ex.
hiIlra'ion produced by Ether or Nitrous Ok.
ide gas, is the result of over action ia the
brain and nerves, hence the feeling of ex.
IRENE debility which follows. Violent exer.
else is state Of super.excitation, hence, il
is always succeeded by langour and debility.
Let US now apply this principle, in explaining
the effects Of alcohol. A certain number of
potations is necessary 10 keep up through the
days. sufficient degree Of excitement to rem.
der the topper comfortable. For while this
degree of excitement is supported, the result.
ing debility is no, observed. But what is his
next morning? The stomach is
nauseated, the head aches, the hand trembles,
the spirits are depressed, in word The whole
nervous system is unstrung, and all these,
the eifes,s of debility, succeeding to, and pro.
duced by state Of over.excitement. What
will relieve this condition most readily =
Whatever excites to action the dsbllitsted
organs. This the drunksrd knows full well,
and resorts TO the fatal cup. But alas for
him, with every repetition it looses some.
thing o; its efficacy, and the quantity mus, bs
TO obtain the same result, until al
last it becomes Impossible to keep up the
slimu alion, and the accumulated debility Of
the brain and nerves plunges the unfortunate
nebrlale into the horrors of delirium tremens.
Blu, The nerves are not The only sufferers
from being so often over excited, loses its
lone /; Dy spepsla, with lis host OF concomitant
evils, results. The other organs partake Of
the general ruin. the power Of resisting NOR.
bid impressions, is impaired, the constitution
IS broken and the man falls an easy prey 10
be first prevailing epidemic.
Is it necessary to adduce proofs lha, the
habitual use Of alcohol, while il renders the
sy stem more susceptible Of morbid, impres.
sions, also lessons its powers Of resistance =
w ho are the first victims Of cholera, malip. |
uant fevers, or other violent epidemics p
Who succumb most easily under attacks of
our ordinary iuflammatory diseases? II
fact universally admitted by medical men.
that the man " no uses alcohol as daily bev.
ersge is rescued with difficulty from those at.
tacks, which in a constitution mol so debilita.
ted, would be met by the usual remedial
meaus with almost the certainty Of success.
of L. r =.