The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-01-29
About Livers-Whisky Liyers In Par
ticular.

The liver under consideration was
that of an old whisky drinker "a regular
"soaker," who had not drawn sober
breath" in all probability, for siA or
eight years. And yet it was not a very
aggravated case. The liver had been
taken fresh from the body-that is, be-
fore decomposition set in, and it was
placed in alcohol to preserve it for
scientific examination.
The livers of drinkers present differ
ent appearances, according to the habits
of the victims and to the character of
their potations. A great deal of in
formation has been accumulated by
medical men upon this subject. One
eminent physician, after an examjna-
tion of seventy livers of drinkers, says
that Gin moderate drinkers the liver
was generally found to be somewhat
larger than usual, its texture softened,
and its outer surface spotted, with
patches of fatty infiltration extending
two or three lines into the tissue of the
gland, the rest of the viscus retaining
its natural color, and its edges their
normal sharpness. In those who had
been more addicted to the use of spirits
the liver was still larger, its edges were
more obtuse, and the patches of the fat
on its surface were larger and more
numerous. In old drunkards the liver
was very large, weighing at least six or
eight pounds, often from ten TO twelve;
the edges were very thick and much
rounded; the tissue or substance of
the gland almost white with fat, soft,
fragile, and the peritoneal covering
could be torn off with ease"
A healthy liver should show no trace
Of fat when that sets in, it means slow
but certain death. The liver of our de-
parted friend, the old soaker, was
enormous in size, and had undergone n
thorough fatty degeneration. Too much
fat is the result of disease, anyhow, but
when IL accumulates in or around the
internal organs, such as the heart, liver
or kidneys, it is time to send for the
undertaken. The observations cited
above were Of cases in England, where
the "hob-nailed liver is not so COM
mon as in this country, owing 20 the
fact that our dfunkards kill themselves
mostly with lum, brandy and whisky,
which produce the false membranes,
adhesions, puckerings, etc, noticeable
in pOst-mOrtenl examinations of drink
ers' hvers. Persons addicted to drink
usually become fat, corpulent, even,
and give indications of unusual energy
and strength, but these are very falla-
cious, and soon pass away, to be sue
ceeded by fabbiness, languor, and fre-
quently to excessive leanness, except of
the abdomen, which retains its protu-
berance, in consequence of the deposit
tion of fat in the fatty mem )rane cov-
ering the bowels in front, or bay
window"
1t is quite safe to say that there is
not single spirit drinker whose liver
is not more or less affected by his in
diligence, whether it is occasional only
or of continuous repetition. It is i'm
possible for the liver to escape, for
while the fumes of drink are carried
directly into the brain, every drop of
liquor that is swallowed passes thr ouSh
the liver and acts upon its tissues. The
best illustration of the effect of spirits
upon the raw tissues of the human
body may be had by holding a qua nifty
of whisky, brandy, rum, gin, ETC., III
the mouth for few moments and then
splitting it out. The mouth and gums
will he found parboiled and puckered
manner The same effect is produced
internally, and thousand times repeat
ed in the drunkard, until at last the
vitals are burned out and death the
most loathsome claims its horrid, poor,
despised and irreclaimable victim
Cincinnati Commercial.