Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-05
DISEASES DUE TO DRINK. :
Wine and Beer Are Not Lees IpjuEiou
Than the Stronger Liquors.

OJS6A0G0 OOe ~ ONlNNs
Wine and Beer Are Not Lees Injurious
Than the Stronger Liquors.
Turning from the effects Of alcoholism
on the nervous system to its effect on
the other organs, and bearing Of course
in mind that it is always difficult to
determine whether this latter is direct
or only secondary as q result Of neurotic
disease, we find numerous instances
both of acute and chronic diseases OF
the mucous membrane of the pharynx,
stomach and intestines. These are i'm
portant, not only from their frequent oc-
currence, but especially for their bearing
on the general Authorization. Ibelieve
most physicians will agree with me
in the view that Inflammation of the
stomach and bowels in adults is almost
invariably due to alcoholic poisoning.
But alcohol exerts its essential and
most significant influence on the vital
organs by being taken up in the circula-
ton and thus brought into direct con-
tact with their cellular tissue. We
have no clearer evidence of the direct
action of poison in producing primary
cell death than is afforded by the action
of alcohol on the liver, producing liver
cirrhosis. Typical liver cirrhosis was
found in per cent of all the male bod
les examined at the Leipsic Patholog-
ical institute.
But the organic changes which my
own experience compels me to place in
the first rank as denoting the most in
furious effects of alcoholic indulgence
are the diseases of the muscles of the
heart and its nervous apparatus, the
diseases of the arteries and of the kid
neys. 5''
But while it has long been known
that delirium tremens, neurosls and
cirrhose liver owe their existence to al
coholic poisoning, it is by no means
generally recognized that chronic heart
and kidney diseases are due to the same
cause. And yet the practical signifi-
canoe of precisely this form of alcoholic
poisoning, apart even from its fire.
quency, is of the highest, from the fact
that these diseases are induced not so
much by the use of concentrated alco-
hol, but especially by heavy beer drink
ing. This habit of excessive beer drink
ing is very widely prevalent among the
cultivated classes and claims its VIC
Tins among men who regard the drink
ing of schnapps as an act Of moral deg
radiation. 1t is not only that the guam
tity of alcohol consumed by heavy beer
drinkers is excessive, but the consump-
ton of liquid involved in the habit is no
less excessive and injurious. To this,
too, must be added as hardly less preju-
dicial the consumption of an extra and
undue amount Of nutritive matter con-
tanned in the beer.
All these conditions tend to that dis
ease which is rarely absent in steady
beer drinkers. The prime anatomical
change exhibits itself as hypertrophy
of the muscles Of the heart, especially
of the left ventricle. This is the result
of continuous overtaxing of the hearts
powers. The prime factor here is the
excessive amountCof water which be-
fore it can again be given off by the
kidneys, skin and lungs must be taken
up by the blood and maintained in mo-
ton by the heart. The excess Of nutri
tive matter furnished by the beer con-
tributes to the same result.
Kidney diseases as result of alco-
holism are still more frequent, and with
wine and beer drinkers the extra labor
imposed on the kidneys by excess of
fluid renders them especially susceptible
to the large influence of the accompany
ing alcohol.
Finally, there is another interesting
group of diseases resulting from alco-
holic action in disturbing and upsetting
the chemical processes of assimilation.
The leading types of diseases due to this
cause are govt, diabetes and fatty de-
generation of the heart, and while al
lowing that in many cases alcoholic ac
ton may be supplemented by contribu-
tory causes think it will be apparent
that the sum of the evils properly ascrib-
able to alcohol is such as to warn us
physicians that here IS a matter in
which all our forces should be enlisted.
DIR. Adolph Strumpell.