New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-01-18
{ gSil gs
NEW ULM, MINI.
CHAs. I. Roos, Managing Editor
Wednesday, January Is, 1855.
written for the Review.)
Effects of StimuIants and Narcotics
on the Human System.

OF this interesting topic from medical
point OF view, or to add any theory Of
his own to the many conflicting views
concerning the exact process by which
congestion is produced. He will simply
state a few undisputed facts whose
omission from most of our elementary
textbooks is highly significant.
twenty-five centuries ago, Aristotle
expressed views relative to the nature
OF the various functions of life which
have been substantially confirmed bv
modern science. I have no doubt that
Aristotle, Notwithstanding his ancient
ness, had deeper insi CHIT into the work
performed by and in the human system
than many who write on that topic in
our day. According to Aristotle and
modern physiology, the vegetal. or
nntritive, functions are prerequisite to
all the higher functions of life; and
while many of the latter are to some
extent under the control of the WILL the
former are exercised inYoluntarily, with
more Or less protracted periods of activ-
ity and rest. 1t is owing to the activity
OF the system of nerves known as that
Of the great sympathetic, that the bal
ance OF power, as it were, is kept I'D in
the system. Following closely the dis
tribution of the blood vessels and en-
veloping them with network of
branches, the sympathetic nerves in
crease and diminish the supply of blood
to the various organs to an extent COM
mensurate with their activity. 1t is by
them that the muscles of.the arteries
are held in a state of contraction; and
any influence that diminishes the activi-
ty OF the sympathetic branches,
causes a dilatation of the arteries and
an increase in the supply Of blood fur
nished to the affected part. This gorg-
ing of the arteries with blood by relax
alton OF the sympathetic nerves is we'll
illustrated in blushing. The sympa-
thetic nerves are so closely connected
with the other portions of the nervous
system that the various emotions to
which we are subject either excite them
to increased activity or partially suspend
their action. In btushing, the sympa-
thetic nerVe-branches that envelop the
blood-vessels of the skin become re-
laxed, the vessels dilate, and there is
an increased flow of blood to the
skin.
An increase in the blood-supply to
any organ constitutes congestion. That
congestion is produced by the suspen-
sion OF the action ofsympathetic nerves,
is shown by the following simple ex-
pertinent. ''If, in rabbit, the sympa-
thetic nerve which sends branches TO
the vessels Of the head, is cut, the ear
Of the rabbit, which is covered by so
delicate an integument that the chang
es in its vessels can be readily per-
ceived, at once bushes. That is to
say, the vessels dilate, fill with blood,
and the ear becomes red and hot. "(Hux.
ley.)
Without the variation of the blood.
supply known as congestion, the human
system could not perform any of its
most important functions. Mental
> labor is invariably accompanied. in the
healthy body, by congested condition
Of the brain; and moderate con.
gestion of the brain may, in turn, stim-
ulate that organ to greater activity.
Several years after his arrival in Amer.
lea, Friedrich Muench, better known by
the nom de plumae Far West, had &C.
quired a knowledge of this country's
tongue sufficient to enable him to peruse
its literature Understandings. without
being able, however, to speak the
language readily. During congestive
state OF the brain, caused by illness, he
could temporarily express his thoughts
IN good English with degree of fuency
and ease which many years of subse.
quent study could not restore to him.
The stomach and intestine are
flushed and congested during the diges.
ton of the food, and this excitemen,
passes Oft when digestion is finished.
The salivary glands become Redeemed
with blood while the secretion of saliva
is going on, and afterward return tc
their pallid condition. Nearly all the
internal organs have their periods Of
rest and their periods of activity and
their periods of activity are accompan.
led by local excitement of the vessels,
by which they are supplied at that time
with an increased amount of blood
These temporary variations in the cir.
culation of the blood are under the in.
voluntary control of the nervous system,
by which the necessary stimulus is con.
veyed to the different organs. "(Dalton. J
The congested state OF an organ, in
the general sense of the term, is fa1
from being anything abnormal or NOR.
bid; it is simply state of increased &C.
tiVity. But the activity Of an organ
cannot be increased beyond certain
limit without producing a more or less
diseased condition of that organ. Elk
cessive dilatation and congestion of the
capillaries may cause the condition
known as inflammation, and ALWAYS
interferes with the performance of the
proper functions of that organ. It is
the excessive or morbid congestion OF
an organ which medical men briefly
designate as congestion. Undue adj
vantage has been taken of this two.
fold use of the term congo stion and OF
phrases synonymous with it, in stating
the effects of stimulants and narcotics.
Congestion is an unnatural condi.
ton of an organ; and the introduction
OF even q small dose of alcohol into the
system produces congestion in sew
eral organs. Both these statements are