The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-05-16

|
| Human Life?
While this question seems to be one
of easy solution, as it is evidently one
OF incalculable interest to mankind, vet
from the fact that Numerically oppo-
site answers are given. it would indi-
cate that it is not yet very well under
stood by the masses, at least. 70 get at
the philosophy of the question we must
know how the life processes are carried
on, and then how the stimulants named
affect the life processes when used as
indicated
The human organism is made up of
little cells, so small that single one
can not be seen by unaided vision; yet
each one of these little bodies has
life and mission of its own; and its
development, fultillment of mission and
death are governed by organic law.
That it may fulfill its purpose in life its
law of life requires that certain condi-
tions must be supplied to it; and when
ever these conditions are fuzzy provided,
the little cell will never fail to fill its
mission perfectly and completely.
But the question may be asked where
are these little cells made and endowed
with the life principle? Of the
origin of the first living cells we do not
know, but we do know that vegetables
have the power of converting certain
mineral substances as carbonic acid,
ammonia. etc, into these little living
organisms and slowing them away in
their various structures, and then ami
mails and man can partake of these veg
etable products, and by the process of
digestion and assimilation they can
make them over into animal and human
tissues. 1t is true that the little cells
made by different familie, of vegetables
differ in composition, size, etc, and
that some classes of vegetables make
cells that if taken into the human body
will destroy its life at once, while other
classes of vegetables make just such
cells as will build up and sustain the
life of man. This difference of cell
formation runs through the human or
ganism also, its various tissues being
made up a different kinds of cells, but
they were all first elaborated in the
| vegetable. The human organism has
no power of changing the character of
b the little cells that enter into the form
alton of its various tissues, it can only
build such as are suited into their prop
er places. The bony tissue requires
cells rich in phosphate of lime, mag
nesia and potash The muscles,
cells of albumen, the brain and
nerves, fatty alLuminoid cells, rich
, in phosphate, and so on through the
, whole tissue formation; they must all
be made up of cells specially adapted to
the special purpose, and these cells are
always made by vegetable growth, and
if such are always properly used and all
other essential conditions supplied, the
human organism will be built up and
kept in good working order. and a large
amount of reserve force will be stored
up in it for future use. But as every
functional action OF the body consumes
portion of the organic structure, the
food regularly eaten must make good
the tissue thus consumed, or there must
be draft upon the reserve tissue which
will be lowered to that extent.
Now, the question occurs, how does
the use of stimuants effect the normal
working of the human organism?
All persons are now agreed that the
effect of stimuant is to increase the
rate of functional action; and as every
functional action consumes a portion of
the tissue producing the action it is ev-
ident the stimulant reduces the powers
of the organism to that extent, and to
make good the loss the rate of func-
tional action must be reduced after the
effect of the stimulant has passed Oft, that
the organism may regain what it has
thus lost. Hence, we find depression
= of the vital force following the use of
t all stimuIants This depression the 90
ahead American citizen can not submit
to, and therefore the stimuant must be
5 frequently repeated to keep up the in
5 creased ratio of action. To make this
r plain let us again appeal to physiological
= teaching.
The normal rate of the heart action
in the healthy adult engaged in yigor-
GUS labor is Scycnty-iivc beats per
t minute, and the force of such action
, for twcnty-four hours is sufficient to lift
3 800, 900 pounds one foot high. This may
= seem incredible to many readers. but is
nevertheless 4 verified fact, and is the
= result of healthy action without stimu-
3 lants; and the iudiciouS use of proper
G foods will sustain the organism at this
l rate without any loss of power, if Il
a proper amount of rest is taken to enable
t the food to be built up into the tissue
destroyed. But now suppose the indi-
vidual takes a moderate amount OF
! stmulant with the same amount OF
y food and performs the same amount of
. labor, and what will be the results?
: To test this matter Drs. Parkes and
Wollowitz, two eminent Observers, tried
some experiments on healthy young
. men by giving them varying amounts
! of alcohol for six days in succession, be
, ginning with two ounces the first day
! and increasing to eight ounces on the
= last. On this last day they found the
:" heart beat %, 4SS times more during the
twenty-four hours than was its average
V on simple water beverage, and for the
six days the increased work of the heart
Il would have lifted $1,000 pounds one
I foot high. Now, as the alcohol did not
V add any power to the organism, but
G only increased the expenditure of the
I power already in it, it is evident there
i was an actual loss of force to that eX-
U tent, and this must be taken from the
reserve force already stored in the
body. The question then occurs. what