Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-05
How Alcohol POiSOnS,

To The Editor of THE EVENING STAR.
AlchOhOl exerts its poisonous effects on the
organs Of the human body in two ways, viz: i'm
mediately and remotely. Its immediate effect
is seen in drunkenness, and its remote in the
slow and inevitable Inflammation which it causes
in the brain, stomach, liver and kidneys. The
four familiar poisOns in common use are arsenic,
opium, strychnine and alcohol. Arsenic kills by
eroding the mucus membrane Of the stom ach,
opium by depressing the nervous system will,
Its narcotic power strychnine by the peculiar
irritation which it exerts over the spinal mar
row, and alcohol by the influence which it exer-
cises in producing irritation of the brain. This
characteristic of its action distinguishes it from
all other pOisOns. 1t Is not digested by the
stomach, but passes at once through that organ
into the blood and on to the head, and burns
the brain just as it burns the mouth throat and
stomach when swallowed. SO great fs it's afi-
nifty for the head that it is found in pure state,
after death, within the cavities Of the BRAIN and
80 rapid is it's influence on the brain that in q
few minutes after being swallowed Its poisonous
effect is felt in the head, and manifested on the
body So unerring is this result that it's effects
is expressed in common language by the ordin-
airy metaphor of flying" 1t is usual among
those unaccustomed to the use of alcohol to say,
when invited to drink, II cannot take liquor; it
flies directly to my head" Therefore. the ex-
preston. flies to the head is q metaphor used to
express the rapidity with which alcohol is alb
sOrOed by the blood and initiates the brain. In
virtue of the effect of even moderate drink of
alcoholic liquor on the head, one must readily
conclude that q frequent repetition Of such
effects must inevitably work certain and serious
injury to the BRAIN That this is the case is be-
yOnd all question: and to know in q moment
the deleterious influence of excessive drinking
one has only to recall the unnatural appearance
which an individual presents who has been on q
debauch only for few days; and, when the de-
parture from health, denoted In the outward
expression Of excessive drinkers Of alcoholic
liquors, Is observed surprise will not be aroused
when it is found that the average period of the
drunkard's life is but thirteen years.
THE BRAIN FIRST AFFECTED.
The functions Of the brain are the first
affected; and yield far more readily and fire.
quently to the excessive use Of alcohol than any
other organ of the body; and from what is
known Of drunkenness from every days OBJ :
servatiOn, every case of ordinary intoxication
must be recognized as nothing more than tenn
porary insanity; and q just anticipation will be
realized If it is expected that permanent state
of arrangement will ensue from an excessive
habitual use Of alcohol Hence. all drunkards
present an imbecile and insane appearance;
and the statistician will be quite right when he
gives alcohol the credit of producing fifty per
cent Of all the causes Of idiOcy. and of tempo
rary and permanent insanity, known in q COM
munity. j. B. JOHNSON, MD,
922 New York avenue.