The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-19
About LiTers-Whisky Livers In Par
ticular.

The liver under consideration was
that of an old whisky drinker-a regular
s. soaker," who had not drawn a sober
breath, F" in all probability, for siA or
eight years. And yet it was not very
aggravated case. The liver had been
taken fresh from the body-th at is, be-
fore decomposition set in, and it was
placed in alcohol to preserve it for
scientific examination.
The hvers 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
ton of seventy ivers of drinkers, says
that in moderate drinkers the liver
was generally found to be somewhat
| larger than usual, it's texture softened,
and its outer surface spotted, with
patches of fatty infltration 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, it's edges were
more ebtuse, and the patches Of the fat
on its surface were larger and more
A01Ac1OuSs LII Olu OEuuhbEuS bu0 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 a
thorough fatty degeneration. Too much
fat Is the result of disease, anyhow, but
when it 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 to the
| fact that our drunkards kill themselves
| mostly with rum, brandy and whisky,
| which produce the false membranes,
adhesions, puckerings, ETC., noticeable
1 in 10St-DsoTtens examinations of drink
ers' ivers. Persons addicted to drink
usually, become fat, corpu1ent, even,
and give Indications of unusual energy
and strength, but these are very falla-
cious, and soon pass away, to be sue
ce6OeO DY uADD1u0SS, 1An2uOf, ana ire
quently to excessive leanness, except OF
the abdomen, which retains its protu.
berance, in consequence of the deposi-
ton of fat in the fatty membrane GOV.
ering the bowels in font, or ebay
window"
It is quite safe to say that there is
not a 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 inn.
possible for the liver to escape, fol
while the fumes of drink are carried
directly into the brain, every drop OF
liquor that is swallowed passes through
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 quantity
of whisky, brandy, rum, gin, etc., il
the mouth for few moments and ther
splitting it out. The mouth and gums
viii be found parboiled and puckerec
in a very unpleasant and uncomfortable
manner. The same effect is produced
internally, and a thousand times repeat
ed in the drunkard, until at last the
vitals are burned out and death th.
most loathsome claims its horrid, poor
despised and irrecIaimable victim.-
| Cincinnati Commercial.