Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-14

In the term Alcohol, l wish to be un-
derstood to mean all spirituous liquors
For the purpose of being well under
stood, as well as to impart as much in
struction to my hearers as short time
will allow, l shall invite your attention
to a few predatory remarks. Before
proceeding, therefore, to an account Of
individual cases which have come under
my notice as dispenser of remedies
those cases which bear unmistakable
evidences that alcohol was the primary
cause Of disease, | propose to present
such principles and facts of universal
or extensive practicability as appear to
be well established, avoiding all possible
speculation, to spare the necessity Of a
wearisome repetition. It | deal with
therapeutics, which concerns the treat
ment of diseases, or with hygiene,
which embraces the preventing of dis
ease and preserves health, the OBJ
ject will be to impress upon your minds
the available principles of a sober life
1t is pretty we'll understood that the
constituent forms of disease, viewed SUI
perfcially, really appear to be numerous
and diversified, and are found to consist
of comparatively few constituent con-
ditions of arrangements; by the combi-
nations of the various modes and rela-
tions, we find those sublime conditions
which approximate to those principles
which all organic bodies bear to nature.
And though the analysis cannot be
pushed satisfactorily to the absolute ell
ements, we may appreciate the principle
to great extent, and be able to under
stand the morbid states Of combined ac-
tions, denominated diseases. Through
a persistent course of physical research
and the combined aid of symptomatolo-
gy, we are able to point out a remedy
1t has been admitted to be a self -evi-
dent proposition, that nearly all the
complaints have their seat in the fluids
and solids of the body-many of them
in the fluids. There can be no doubt
that all of them may be occasionally un-
healthy in their condition, brought about
by an injudicious course Of diet and ex-
posure, without the aid of alcohol; and
that the vitiated state of the fluids may
be original with them, or may have aris-
en- from some arrangement of the solids
by which they are generated. An inter
mediate opinion prevails at present with
the medical fraternity in general, that
while large number Of diseases have
their origin in the arrangements of
either the functions or organs in their
structure, they are more numerous
which consist in the arrangements of
the fluids, or disordered state of the
liquids, and as all the fluids, with the
exception of the lymph and chyle, are
derived from the blood, and as the form
er enter directly into the composition Of
the latter and impart to it all the i'm
pure principles it contains, as also AN
the numerous liquid secretions must
convey into the blood their diseased
condition, subjecting that most import
ant elemement of the human system to
morbid changes, which must exert un-
due influences on all the organs and the
surrounding parts.
The blood is the vehicle through
which all substances in it are enabled to
reach all parts of the system, and there
are many instances where poisons have
proved destructive by entering the sys-
TEN through the medium of absorption
by acting on the blood, with which they
are speedily mingled, so as to change it's
constitution and gradually disqualify
the organs through which they are elab-
grated, rendering them, at least, less
capable, or altogether incapable of per-
forming their offices in the animal econ
omy The noxious substances with
which the fluids become contaminated
are able to reach all parts of the system
in an almost immeasurably short space
of time, planting in the numerous or
gans that miasmatic taint which too
many times proves to be the seeds OF
death. No noxious agent can be intro
duced into the blood without producing
a morbid impression on all the solids
with which it is brought in contact, but
it also directly deteriorates the qualities
of the blood, and that fluid no longer ap-
pears to furnish the requisite stimulus
to support health
If alcohol be injected into vein, the
effect is instantaneous, and followed by
numerous symptoms of narcotic poison
ing, and if immoderate quantities be in
jected will induce congestion. Even an
evaporating bath of the same article in
a moderately diluted state, through the
process of absorption has been known
to be followed by unfavorable results,
in consequence of chemical action
supposed to take place when the poison
GUS eff1uvia came in contact with the
fibrin and albumen in the serum OF the
blood. Other phenomena result nearly
analogous to this have been known to
act in like manner directly where there
has been exposure to alcoholic exhala-
tions, sufficiently, it is said, to induce
nausea and even protracted prostration.
Now, if poison that is so violent be al
lowed, or admitted to produce such
change by a mere chemical reaction up
on the fluids as to develop nausea and
pain from so slight use, can there be a
doubt, or reason to doubt, that they act
upon the vital qualities of the blood,
which, if it does not constitute the pri-
mary cause of disease, certainly inter
feres with the operative powers OF the
system? Therefore, disposition to a
general excitement amounting to fever,
or to local inflammation or hemorrhage,
is readily understood to be but com
mon and most natural result. Add such
a powerful stimulus as alcohol to the
volume of circulating mass beyond the
natural digestive power, so that the de-
fciency must be supplied by the process
of absorption of the lighter and watery
fluids. and we soon find the condition of
depletion, which constitutes the disease
called an9mia; when, if the blood be
taken and allowed to stand, it has the
appearance of redish dirty water, des-
titute Of some of it's organic constitu-
ents; thus, any excess Of the solids con-
tanned in it, as well as any deficiency,
may become the source of disease. 1t
is this fact that constitutes the pleth
oric condition so often seen in so many
of those who use spirituous liquors as
a general beverage, which predisposes
them to apoplexy.
The blood has no affinity for alcohol
whatever, and it is thoroughly antagon-
istic to all the organic substances and
liquids in the system; and in all cases
where it does not excite tendency to
a heavy, morbid condition, is sure to in
augurate depletion often to that
extent which predisposes to dropsy.
When alcohol is introduced into the
stomach. it's attack upon the liquids is
instantaneous, and fearfully destructive
in proportion to the quantity taken.
There being no affinity between it and
the fluids, a battle is at once inaugurated
~ hnr