Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-05-06


may contin4 much longer, but instead Of
active deli am, DISAPPOINTMENT symptom
which first fertesthe pby ysician attcntion,
IS profound Eaa orstnpor the consequence
Of serious fusion or bloody extrAvasdtion,
and the paien With all the symptoms os
crnpre ssisa if the brain. exentuev dies
in state of inSensibilify
Other impQsIAnt organs ore scarcely less
!Esqusssls be llIs I.z
y '''s lsss :. :
nOurish, s0stain and rS,~sFafe the different
tissues Of the body, to support the various
functions end supply the waste which ia
constantly taking place in the system, IS.
under the influence of alcohol, not cnly
subject to various functional, but, as post
mortem examinations have often attested.
also to different diseases of its organic struc-
ture. So close is the relation by sympathy
between this and other organs of the body
that their secretions are all more or less
altered, and all the operations of the ami
NAL economy to greater or less extent af-
fected.
The heart, the liver and the lungs are
scarcely less obnoxious, and seldom escape
disease under the habitual use of ardent
spirit. And why should they, since they
are thrown almost constantly into a state
of unnatural excitement and exertion p
Besides, structural disease of its valves,
spasm of the heart followed by sudden
death, has doubtless often taken place in
the person of the drunkard.
Its primary effect on the liver is to in
crease It's action and change its sec: elton
both IN color and consistence, while it's ul-
innate effect is to change also, its organic
tissue, in the way of either hypertrophy,
atrophy or induration, which in its turn,
may give rise to disease of the spleen, pam
creas and bowels, and to general dropsy.
The lungs are p rhaps less frequently
and less seriously affected But, that they
are often restrained in the due performance
of their proper functions, either by sym
pathy or by the irect action of the alco-
hollc principle as it passes through them
with the blood, is evident from the suppress
Sed breathing and other pectoral symptoms
In the same way, it may render the kid
neys alike, the prey of disease and inaa-
nation and organic lesion in these organs
are not uncommon.
In short, 1t not only exhausts the vital
principle of all the solids, thereby render
ing the whole obnoxious to disease. but it
impairs the vital principle of the blood also,
depriving it of its healthy constituents,
uniting it to supply the materials for the
different secretions, and to renovate the
different tissues of the body, Consequent
ly the whole system soon begins to give
evidences Of debility and decay, and the
intelligence and dignity of the man are
lost in the stupidity and sensuality of the
brute.
Thus it is, that when acute disease does
lay its affecting hand upon the drunkard,
the powers of life being already enfeebled
by the stimulus of alcohol, he so often un-
expectedly sinks in the contest, and but
too frequently to the modification of his
physician and the surprise and grief of his
friends. And unless the young physician
who, like myself, is in the boyhood of his
profession, has studied the notifications in
the character of disease and the chan ges to
which medical agents are subjected in the
person of the drunkard, he has still an i'm
portant lesson to learn in the intricate sci
ence of the "healing art"