The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-02-15
THE NOM OR.
THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL.
WRITTEN FOR THE W. C. t. U. OF TRENTON, b
T. n

THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL.
WRITTEN FOR THE W. C. t. U. OF TRENTON, BY
MIC.
Perhaps the most important constituent OF
the human system is water. We ma II
present in a much larger degree than any
other element. In the blood, water makes
ND seyenty-nine parts in one hundred-and as
alcohol has special affinity for water IN its
passage through the system it sucks up the
water and renders the parts hard and dense,
thus DESTROYING the equilibrium in the tissues.
The little red corpuscles floating about IN the
blood (but too small to be seen by the naked
eye) are SO hardened from the water being
absorbed by the alcohol, that they cannot per-
form their specified work, which is to throw
off the carbonic acid gas and take up the
oxygen gas received into the lungs, ana
carry it through the system; they no longer
fioat about in the blood in fluid state. but
are matted and clogged and lose their power
to absorb the oxygen from the air: thus we
often see the confirmed drinkers face dark
and mottled.
The ielly-like substance in the blood is
called fbrine and is very important to life !;
it holds the blood together, so when it reaches
the extreme vessels of the body it does not
pass through, but, in one who INDUCES freely
in alcohol the fibrine becomes thin from too
much fluid being taken to satisfy the unnat-
ural thirst, and he is in much danger when
accidentally injured
If the fibrine be deficient, or in too fluid
state in the blood, it e1udes through the skin
and causes blotches, such as we often see on
the drinker: or some slight accident may
prove fatal, which in a total abstainer would
be of little account
Another important element in the blood is
IL = 80 t1a of oil
animals, and our very existence depends upon
its presence but, to properly repair the
system it must be in fluid state. Alcohol
in the blood hardens the albumen just as it
hardens the white of an egg. Thus it solidi-
fies albumen SO that it cannot change into
fbrine as it ought, and also prevents coagula-
ton of fbrine, which is SO important to life.
Hence the nutritive and repairative functions
of the system are lessened by the action Of
alcohol And yet we constantly hear, "Alco-
hol sustains life-it builds up the system"
| Chemistry has analysed all we use for food,
and also the make up of the human body,
and has ascertained this fact, that what the
food contains, is what is needed to supply the
waste of or injury to the body.
| Fruits and grains contain all the substances
used by man as food, but we do not find alco-
hol in the list. Decay must take place in
OrQ6r 10 ODtdlu IT, Leu uS t1hc 1oou luto
our stomach, and if in health, it is digested,
SO the waste constantly going on is repaired ;
some makes bone, some muscle; others are
for nerve and brain. But alcohol does none
of these things it is thoroughly selfish, as it
| quickly passes from one part to another it
sucks up all the juices. and passes out an
changed, undigested alcohol.
Swell it may not be food, but it aids di-
gestion." Rather it prereuts digestion. We
find in the human system three juices which
combine, and solve or digest the food. The
strong solvent in oil of them is pepsiaa. Alco-
hol is strong solvent, more poaoerJu! than
pepsin now when the two meet the natural
result follows. the weaker must submit to the
stronger, and digestion is arrested, and not re-
sumed until alcohol is driven out, and new
pepsin comes in. Away then with the thought
of alcohol as a repairer or builder In all
places and under all circumstances its chief
mission is to destroy life, home and COM
munities In all the list we find alcohol use
full only in two or three instances. But be-
cause we do, need we turn our bodies into
laboratories and make varnishes out of our
blood? Nay, rather let us inform ourselves
upon all the phases of this arch deceiver SO
when approached by either doctor, priest, or
the uncultured, we may be able to refute these
fallacies thus fastening the time when we
can truly sing alcohol is driven out of our
bodies, our homes, and our land!"