The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-02-23
ITS POISONOUS EFFECTS.

Extracts from an Address by Joseph
Frank Payne, NJ. D., Before the Patho-
logical Society of London.
1t is quite clear that alcohol is q
functional poison of the narcotic class.
Its action on the brain shows the
gradations Of stimulation, overaction,
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, in
which no functional disturbance from
the immediate action of alcohol can
be traced. Hence we conclude that
alcohol is also tissue poison damag-
ing the structure of the tissue ole
ments. This effect is not seen after
single dose, even 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 irri-
tant. especially metallic, poisons,
such as lead, arsenic, anthony, 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 it reaches
with the least amount of dilution, that
is, the stomach and liver. In tho
second place, it acts on the nervous
tissues as being moro 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 least
there are certain modes of action COM
mon to all. These common modes of
action belonging to all tissue poisons
l will endeavor to state, and then see
whether alcohol acts in the same way.
The first effect of such poisons is
seen on the more vulnerable or paren-
chymatous elements, namely, nerve,
epithelium, muscle fiber. On these
parts, their action is essentially NEGRO
tic, producing, if in a low degree, par
enchymatous degeneration; in q high
er degree, actual necrosis, though if
the injury be not too severe, repair is
possible. This is true of arsenic, anti
mony, sulphuric acid; and, with some
modification, of PHOSPHORUS. l would
submit that this is also true of alco-
hol, which produces degeneration, or
ultimately necrosis, of mucous mem
brane of stomach, liver-cells nerve
fibers, nerve-cells and musce-fibers.
Another effect of all tissue poisons,
if sufficiently concentrated, is to injure
the blood-vessels. causing emulation
and cell migration-that is, infamma-
ton as generally understood. 1t is
obvious that this is true of all irritant
poisous. Ii chronic, this Inflammation
sometimes results in hyperplasia of
connective tissue. | submit that con-
centrated alcohol acts on the stomach,
for instance, to which it is directly ap-
piled. in the same way, setting up
acute Inflammation. The action CT
alcohol, however, is never quite so in
tense as that of some metallic poisons,
since it never produces suppuration, nor
has it an actually corrosive action. Its
continuous or chronic action is to pro-
duce connective tissue hyperplasia,
fibroid changes or cirrhosis.
Besides these two modes of action,
alcohol has one almost peculiar to it.
self: that OF causing accumulation or
infiltration of fat. in various parts of
the body, especially where such accu-
mutation naturally takes place, as in
liver, omentum, simultaneous tissue.
Phosphorus is like alcohol in this re-
spect, and so is, to some extent, ar
senic. This change may be called
steatosis.'" 1t is explained, appar-
emily with reason, as due to deficient
oxidation, or impeded cell-respiration,
the alcohol or PHOSPHORUS being oxi-
died in place of the fat, which should
be burnt up in the cell.
To sum up. The action of alcohol
on tissues or tissue elements is three.
fold: 1. AS functional poison. g.
AS tissue poison or destructive. 3.
AS checker OF oxidation. And in
these respects it may be paralleled by
other substances called poisons, and
by others which are generally consid-
cred innocuous.