The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-08-15
Physiological Effects Of Alcohol ana
Tobacco.

The toxicants have variation Of action
In their early stages. Alcohols excite
the mind and quicken the pulses before
they depress. Opium excites before Il
depresses. Tobacco does not in the
strict sense excite, but depresses and
soothes from the first, SO that there are
stages, which some persons always feel.
when alcohol Is antidotal to tobacco
Among those persons who are total ab.
stainers from alcohol few are found who
cal bear tobacco in the most moderate
use Of IL. Under tobacco the heart
seems rapidly TO run down in power.
and alcohol Is called for 10 whip il up
again, also Is II seems. The fact Il.
that the heart Is not the organ primarily
concerned at all, but the minute vessels
at the termination Of the arterial circuit.
These minute vessels are under nervous
influence by which the passage Of blood
through them Is regulated. and which
influence Is readily modified by very re-
fined causes acting through the organic
or emotional nervous ccnters. The
effect of tobacco on these minute ves-
sells, through the nervous system. Is to
cause contraction Of them as q primary
fact, so that the face OF the person al.
fected becomes pale and the surface OF
the body cold, while the heart labors 10
force on the supply Of blood until its
own vascular system comes under the
influence thenthe stomach Involuntary
contracts, and, after time, the voluntary
mlscles, deprived Of blood. convulse
TREMENDOUSLY, or pass into active convul.
sions, as in tetanus. Alcohol, on the
other hand, through its influence on
nervous functions, relaxes the vessels Of
the minute circulation, sets free the heart,
reduces the muscular power. and in
every particular counteracts the tobac-
CO. When person receives stun, or
is shocked by some intelligence, or sight,
or sound, that thereby stuns him, 50
that. like Hamlet, he Is bechilled
Almost 70 Jelly by the act Of fear,
Stands dumb and speaks not,
he is for the moment in the same state
as the man who first tries to smoke to-
bacco, and who, with pallied face, cold
surface, and reeling brain, is TO his sense
and feeling stricken with all but mortal
suffering and prostration. In each Of
these cases alcohol, for . moment, acts
as an antidote not necessarily as the best
antidote, but rs q fair one.s When,
therefore, we see man smoking and
drinking, quafiing off the cup Of wine
or spirit 20 quiet the qualm which would
otherwise be inflicted by the fumes OF
the cigar or the pipe, we really observe
the facts Of a most excellently though
innocently devised physiological experl.
ment on a living animal. The man,
unconsciously TO his knowledge, IL not
to his sensation-unless he be physi-
ologist-is inducing balance in the
tension of his arterial circuit.
In process of time the nervous sys-
tenn, becoming accustomed to these in
huences, one or both. in q certain de-
gree tolerates them, for period. The
tolerance while it lasts is an advantage
to the habit, and, II the habit we're
necessity, it would be blessing. But
the advantage is not permanent In
the end the nutrition Of the organic
parts which are under the influence Of
the same nervous regulation is sure to
suffer. and in many organizations to
suffer rapidly and fatally Richard
son, in Contemporary RerieU.
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