, 1874-04-18
DR.. CARPENTER ON ALCOHOL.

In 3 recent issuo Of THE TRIBUNE, we pre-
sontod tie vlews Of DR.. Edward Curtis, diatin-
guiehed physician aud chemist Of New York,
upon the Objects Of alcohol upon tho human sys-
TEN, In which ho took tho position TINT alcohol
WAS not poison but force and heat-produc-
ing food, capable Of nourishing tho body, and,
when not uBod to exoose, positive beuot1t,
That all sidos may DO hoard, wo prosent to-day
tho views Of Dr.. Wilam 3. Carpenter; tho omi-
snent English physiological and chemist, merely
promising TINT DR.. Carpenter has worldwide
reputation In Ills profession, and tlat his
works arc considered as authoritative at oyory
seat OF learning In England and tho United
stntos. His viewa have juat boon printed In
London, in tho shape OF a pamphlet cssay, en-
titlod "Tho Physiology Of Temperance and
Total Abstinence, IN Examination Of tho Effocts
Of tho Excessive. Moderate, and Occasional Use
Of Alcoholic Liquors on tho Human syaton p
aud thoy will provo Of great intereat pending tho
present discussion OF tho roal agencies and
effects Of alcohol upon the human body.
That tho action Of puro alcohol when taken
In large quantities is directly poisonous Is shown
In tho fatal results attending it's injection into
the stomachs Of dogs md othor animals, and tho
efrocts upon these animals arc precisely similar
to tho effects upon men whom 1t is taken in largo
quantities., an3 in every instance results in
death. The alcohol is absorbed by tho blood
vessels OF tho stomach, and thouco conveyed
into the blood, md the effect Of this poisoned
blood upon tho nervous system, ii sufficient
alcohol Inns boon taken, is strong enough to stop
the action Of tho heart. Whom not go potent.
coma is superinduced, which may also prove fatal
Tho less violent phase Is called intoxicatton.
This first Affects tho intellect, then tile sensorial
apparatus, and lastly produces torpor Of tie
brain; and, II this torpor spreads to tho upper
part Of tho spinal cord fatal reaults must onsue.
From these dotalls. which DR.. Carpenter fortl-
fios with statistics and numerous experiments,
he thinks It conclusive that blood charged with
alcohol, Notwithstanding its constant withdrawal
by the ezcretory operations, Introduces DIS
ordered state Of nutrition in tho body In general,
which, if maintained, becomes fatal. From those
facts, he considers it undeniable that alcohol Ia
a allow poiaou
In the chapter upon tho excessive use Of al
cohol, DR.. Carpenter gives detailed descrip-
tion Of tho various diseases which may be traced
to it. These are Us follows, l. Delirlum
Ebriosum, or drunken madness. 2. Do1irium
Tremens. 8. Insanity. 4, Oinomania, or the
irresistible propensity to swallow Btimulants
Whenever aud wherever they can be procured
+. Mental debility in offspring. 6. Inllam-
matory diseases OF tho brain, or Carebritia and
Mcnlngitis 7. Apoplexy, Paralysis. and Epilep-
sy. 8. Criminal Conduct (which ia treated "a q
diseaso). Q. Disoaaos Of tho alimontnry canal.
10. Diseases Of the livcr, kidneys, and skin II.
Gout and rheumatism. u. Diseases Of the
hoart aud nrteries. IN addition to thia terrible
catalogue Of maladies directly resulting from
the use Of alcohol, DR.. Carpenter claims
TINT habitunl drinkers haye diminished power OF
sustaining injuries by disoase or accidents; that
they are moro liable to epidemic diseases, os-
pecially to cholera aud that statistics show
life is invariably shortened by It,
With regard to tic moderate use Of alcoholic
stimulantH, which ia tho most interesting part
OF tho essay, DR.. Carpenter takes the broad. gen.
oral ground that it tends to produce remotely
injurious results. Wo laye only spaco to indi-
cato in very general terms hiR exposition Of tho
oirccts upon tho body. In the matter Of diges-
tion tho organ assiatod gradually loscs its indo-
pendent yigor and comes to require artificial
support as necessity. Then there must be a
gradual augmentation Of tho stimulus, which,
usually onds in positive oxcesB. but if this docs
not happen, then tho stomach in Inter years must
suffer from this artificial activity by loas Of tono
Tho effects upon tho system at large vary with
temperament, but, as general rulo, ii the activ-
ity Of the lver and kiduoys Ia thus augmented.
thoir vital powers must DO psematurely exhaust
cd. With regard to the effoota upon tho uery-
Gus systom, Dr.. Carpenter admits that
habftual over-o1ertion may bo main
tained for longer time with alcohol
than without, but the prolongation Of the
term OF ovcr-oxortion by repeated application Of
stimulus ia e1pending moro and moro OF the
powers OF the nervous SYSTEM anfl preparing the
por1od. In the processes Of nutrition, alcohol
has an unfayorabta Influence upon those nutri-
tive operations by which alimontnry materials,
tiret converted into blood, arc applied to tho
regeneration OF tile living tissues. Dr..
Carpenter thinks 1t extramely probable that
the fatty degeneration Of various tiasuoa and or
gins ia promoted by the habtual uso Of alco-
holie liquors. since tho tendency OF alcohol In
tho blood iH, to ohstruot that removal Of fatty
matter from tho tissues which Ia ossonttal to Its
replacement by tholr proper materials. Whllo It
may appear for timo to contribute to health, 1t
Is really untasorable to tho permanent enjoy
mont Of 1t, mud this conclusion ia also borne out
by the comparative fapllity with which similar
results develop thomaevos In tropical
climates for tho support Of which the author
ctes numerous s.atistlcs. While ho docs not
douy that alcohol has the virtue Of produclno