The American citizen., 1889-03-01
IT'S POISONOUS EFFECTS.

Extracts from an Address by Joseph
Frank Payne, Nj. D.. Before the Patho-
logical Society of London.
It is quite clear that alcohol is a ,
functional poison of the narcotic class. |
Its action on the brain shows the |
of stimulation. overactlon,
inhibited action and actual narcosls.
These effects, unless positively fatal,
are transitory. But it is also clear
that this is not the whole OF It's IN
furious effect; since, if the functional
disturbance be often repeated, the
brain itself will come in the end to be
damaged. But it may be supposed
this damage is caused by the excess
or repetition of the functional disturb
ance. Such an explanation will not,
however, apply. Some organs, such
as peripheral nerves, are damaged III
which no functional disturbance from
tie immediate action of alcohol can
be traced. Hence we conclude that
alcohol is also tissue poison damag-
ing the structure of the tissue ele-
ments. This effect is not seen after
single dose, even a fatal dose, at least
so far as is known, but only after re-
peated action of the poison. When its
action is perceptible it is quite COM
parable to that of the so-called lrrl-
tant, especially metallic, poisons'
such as lead, arsenic, antimony, etc,
with phosphorus, and even mineral
acids. 1t is now recognized that these
substances. if absorbed. act on all or
most tissues of the body which they
reach in proportion to the degree OF
concentration in which they may be
present, and to the susceptibility OF
the different parts. This is also true
of alcohol. 1t is carried by the blood
to all parts (having been detected in
the brain and various organs), and
acts most powerfully in the first IN
stance on the parts which 1T reaches
with the least amount OF dllutlOn, that
is, the stomach and liver. In the
second place, it acts on the nervous
tissues as being more vulnerable than
the rest. Again, the influence of con-
centration in relation to the tissue
damage is seen in the fact that alcohol
in a dilute form Injuries the tissues
much less than the same amount in a
concentrated form, though the narcot
ic effect may be the same.
Another law of tissue pOisOns is,
that they all have, within certain
limits, the same action. or at leas
there are certain modes of action com
mon to all. These common modes o
action belonging to all tissue pOison
| will endeavOr to state, and then se'
whether alcohol acts in the same way
The first effect of such poisons i
seen on the more vulnerable or paren
chymatous elements, namely, nerve
| epithelium, muscle fiber. On thes
parts, their action is essentially necrC
tic, producing, if in low degree, par
enchymatous degeneration; in u high
er degree, actual necrosis, though
l the injury be not too severe, repair
l possible This is true of arsenic, ant
, mony, sulphuric acid; and, with som
3 modification, of phOsphOrOus. ! wOul
) submit that this is also true Of alec
3 hol, which produces degeneration, 0
t ultimately necrosis, of mucous men
i brane of stomach, iver-cells. nerve
1 fbers, nerve-cells and muscle-fibers-
4 Another effect Of all tissue poison
Q if sufficiently concentrated, is to injul
the blood-vessels. causing exudatiC
a and cell migratiOn-that Is, inilammi
o ton as generally understood. 1t
d obvious that this is true of all irritaI
Y poisons. If chronic, this inhammatiC
sometimes results in hyperplasia
Q connective tissue. | submit that CO
= centrated alcohol acts ON the stomac
y for instance, to which it is directly a
: piled, in The came way. setting |
q acute Inflammation. The action
n alcohol, however, is never quite so
+ tense as that of some metallic poison
n since it never produces suppuration, n
o has it an actually corrosive action.
g continuous or chronic action is to pr
t duce connective tissue hyperplasi
@ fbroid changes or cirrhosis.
is Besides these two modes of actio
Y alcohol has one almost peculiar TO
Id self: that of causing accumulation
a. intiltrati0n of fat, in various parts
T. the body, especially where such acc
n mutation naturally. takes place. as
liver, omentum. subcutaneOus tissl
ls PHOSPHORUS is like alec hol in this
10 spect, and so Is. to some extent, ;
~ senic This change may be call
K steatosis." 1t is explained. app;
CO emily with reason. as due 20 deficie
ne oxidation, or impeded cell-respiratit
10 the alcohol or phosphorous being o
So dized in place Of the fat, which shot
ID be burnt up in the cell.
be To sum up. The action If alcol
ry on tissues or tissue elements il thr
no iold: l. As functional poison.
7r- As tissue poison or de- tructive.
on As a checker OF oxidation. And
re these respects ii may be para!!e!ad