The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-03

The Chemical Effects OF Alcohol on
the Human System.-Au Interest,"
ing Scientific Paper.
A paper by Dr. Dickinson, upon the
effects resulting from drinking alcoholic
liquors, as shown in persons who trade in
liquor, appears in the Seth volume OF the
London Medico' Chirurgical Transactions,
just published. The writer starts with
the assumption that those who have al.
cOhOllC Stimulants at their command at
any time, without being called upon to
pay for 1t, will probably take more Of it
than those who are obliged to incur cx.
pense or go 10 some degree Of trouble 10
satisfy their craving. The remarkable
and suggestive conclusions reached by the
author are given in his own words. He
says:
We are led 10 conclusions which are
mainly with, though in some respects
against, old views. In the present state
OF medicine 1t may be as useful to fortify
old truths as 10 assault old errors. The
results may be thus summed up: Persons
who trade in liquor drink on an average
more than those VITO do not, and their
morbid peculiarities are mainly due 10
that excess. Estimating the effects Of
alcohol on this basis, by means Of com
p2rison between the class described and
persons similarly situated save in relation
10 liquor, the following conclusions have
been reached Alcohol SltortenS lGe;' 10
trade in liquor costs three and a hall gears
Reviewing the morbid results which
The examination Of each organ has reveal.
ed, they present consistency which Is in
some sort their warrants. Alcohol causes
fatty infltrauon and fibroid encroach-
ment; 1t engenders tubercle, encourages
suppuration, and retards healing; It pro-
duces untimely atheroma, invites hemor.
rhage, and anticipates age. The most
constant fatty change, replacement by
oil oil the material OF epitheliAl cells and
muscular tibres, though probably univer.
sal, IS most noticeable In tho liver, the
heart, and the kidney. The flbroid in
crease Is little evident in the simply
norous structures, such as fascip and ten
ions, but occurs about the vascular chan.
neIs and superficial investments Of the
vlsCera, where 1t causes organic atrophy,
G!lrFhosis, and granulation. or this the
liver has the largest share. The lungs
are often similarly though less simply AZ.
lectGd, the change being variously com
pliCated with or simulative OF tIbercIe
The kidneys suffer In like manner, but in
more remote degree.
Alcohol also causes vascular deteriora-
tons which are akin both to the fatty and
The ttbroid. Besides tangible atheroma,
there are minute deterioratlons OF the ar.
IeFlal walls, which show themselves by
cardiac hypertrophy and cerebral hem.
oftnage. Drink causes tuberculosis.
which is evident not only In the lung, but
IN every organ which is amenable. II
must be observed however, that from the
tendency Of the tubercle to dissemination
us only necessary that 1t be planted in
one organ 10 be found in many. Drink
promotes tho suppurative at the expense
" lhe Sunesive process. This issufflrient.
y seen In The results Of pneumonia, Of
bleutisy, and Of pericarditis, in difTuse in
nammatlon, alter injuries, and In the
s sIII and insecurity Of the healing pro- 70.
Descending from general conditiono ~
INDIVIDUAL organs, the effect of alcohol
upon the nervous system must be looked
upon as special, and taken by itsclf. since
IetyouS matter presents TO this agent A
singular excitability OF function, or in
SSaer words, singular susceptibility Of
structure, Tor the purpose Of acting ,ino n,
S %aicn man mankind in allcountries and in ali
SS; An nave sought and used alcoholic
tsm uSs: EASING over thosc effects Of in
are manifest rather DURING liz ,h '1snssns
death, we find that the brain nsvs En , s.ea
reckoning in the shape Of infI:1n, I s1s'
saGophy, and hemorrhage. AI Alcohol T1U1
nplies lntiammstory states Of ibs Sr. ia u,
every kind, both oithe substance S ana ,S ~