The Press., 1894-03-08

lion is we'll named, for it is the beginning of death, and were it not for the fact that this wonderful body has the power pos- sessed by no human mechanism, of throw ing of the noxious agent, would always, as it so often does, end in death.
 The action of the vital organs, though performed by muscular fiber, melted by the will. It is in this realm of involun- tary action that alcohol does it's most deadly work. Take, for example, the capillary system, through which the nour- ishment of the blood is carried to every fiber of the body; each minute artery, like the greater ones, has a muscular coat whose dilation or contraction regulates the flow of blood to every part. The will has no control over this action; it is con- trolled by the network of nerves dipping into every cell of the muscular tissue. Certain emotions cause the muscles con- trolling the flow of blood to the cheeks to dilate, and, the blood rushing in, we have the blush of modesty or shame. Other | emotions cause them to contract, and we have the pallor of fear or despair. This 1 action is only in the cheeks; the hand never blushes or pales, any more than the glove which covers it. Alcohol inter- | feres with the circulation in a somewhat | similar manner; it deadens the little nerves controlling the muscles of the ca- l pillaries, these relaxing their hold, the | capillaries become dilated, and more blood than is needed flows to the part l This action will be most noticeable where nerve tissue most abounds, or where the mechanism is most delicate. These parts will be surcharged with blood, and as the | blood in the body is constant quantity other parts will suffer from lack of it.
 The brain suffers quickest and most the common expression concerning "liquors | flying to the head" shows the popular recognition of the fact. It does fly to the head; let us see what it accomplishes there. The brain receives much more than it's proportionate share of blood, if we grade proportions by size. When this blood comes to it charged with alcohol, what occurs? By it's first contact with l the nerve cell it deadens them, and in consequence, the muscles of the capillaries relax, allowing more blood to flow into the brain than is needed there. This sur | plus blood produces excited action of the brain, and, for time, thought seems to l be quickened; the man talks freely, per haps brilliantly, and is sure the liquor has done him good. It is this stage whose praise poets have sung, and learned men have apostrophized. But brilliancy is not its only effect; the baser passions of a mans nature seem to have their seat in the lower part of the brain, that part first affected by the upward flow of the poison ed blood, and they are excited to unwont- ed action, often overpowering the dictates of reason, consciencel and will, which should sit regnant. The brilliancy be- comes tainted with impurity; when in this condition words often fall from the lips of so-called gentlemen which would cause their cheeks to burn with shame in | IfhOAA 0OOOA AAOLuChb0, H AAOdAu opOhCA py another in the presence of wife or moth- CT. The harmful custom of ladies retir- ing from the dinner table, so prevalent in Europe, and among some Americans, who ape European manners, has it's roots in this effect of wine.
 The deadening process goes on; eau tion as we'll as judgment succumbs, and recklessness ensues. This is the stage in which desperate crimes are committed. If we could trace the history of such crimes we should find scarce one whose perpetrator was not, as it is termed, ''nerved up to it''-''nerved down" would more accurately express the physiological and moral fact-by liquor. On the night of Lincoln's assassination, Booth rushed through the hall of Washington hotel, shouting, Brandy, brandy" and the brandy drunk at that hotel bar nerved his hand to fire the fatal shot.
 To returnpto the brain with its alcohol ized blood. The unnatural flow of blood has surcharged the brain; it can neither be assimilated nor carried off by the veins. Meanwhile the brain is feeling the dead ening effect of the alcohol, and the excite ment of the first stage is followed by the stupidity of the second; no longer bril- liant flashes of wit, but maudlin utter .ances, without pith or point, are heard. l A writer remarks that if the dinner talk of an English table, after the ladies had retired, and the gentlemen had indulged written down verbatim, they would blush for the stupidity of their own words when l read with unmuddled brain next day.. He also suggests that the well-known superi- ority of Americans as after dinner takers, may be attributable to the fact that wine- drinking and the withdrawal of ladies l from the dinner, table is not as prevalent l in America as in Europe.
 1.-the drinking continues, the brain at last suocumbs; stupor, nearer akin to death than to natural sleep, ensues and sEtasts ti1l the system succeeds, by hercu- lean labor of it's excretory organs, in throwing out the intruder. Nature makes no such effort to throw out anything which by any means can be made useful in the body. The fumes of alcohol breathed l e Do You 'E N This is the best