Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-05
pRuNkARps AGE pRsMAruRELY.
Alcohol Enfeebles the Functions and Di
minishes Muscular Force.

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Alcohol Eafeebles the Functions and Di-
minishes Muscular Force.
The actual effect Of alcohol npon the
human system is a subject which has
excited considerable interest of hate
years among physicians and has attract
ed some attention from mankind at
large. The average man is probably
aware, CT has been aware at some period
of his life, of certain effects" of pleas
mt forms of alcohol upon the system
and may contend with himself that al
cOhol in moderate quantities is not only
good for his health, but necessary for it.
Whether this be true or not. he may
learn by reading the opinion of scientists
appended herewith.
Alcohol as a medicine is mild anRs-
thetic. 1t should only be used for acute
sickness, but never for chronic troubles,
for the same reason that morphine and
choral hydrate should not be employed.
Many drink because of the go1d taste
Of liquor and not for its effects. But
taste is made perverse in this way, the
appetite tending almost wholly toward
meat. Sugar, ripe fruits and sweet
food in general are distasteful to the
drinler. Physiology has established
that sugar is the source of muscular
force. When the sweet is no more agree
able to us it signifies an abnormal condi-
ton. A drinker finds himself in this
condition, and he is drinker who does
not feel himself at ease unless he takes
beer, wine or alcohol in any form.
Alcohol in passing into the digestive
tube produces warm pricking sensa-
| ton, which propagates itself from the
mouth to the pharynx and stomach.
Concentrated or large quantities of al
cohol act as an irritant i'll the stomach.
| This action is much more energetic if
the stomach is empty. In this case di-
luted alcohol is injurious because it acts
| directly on the mucous vessels, exciting
| a viscus, when stimulation has no use,
but if there is food IN the stomach mod
crate dose is still more diluted and
mingles with the ingesta and secretions.
Here it is not an irritant, but stimu-
liant of the digestive functions. 1t is
absorbed especially in the stomach, in
| the duodenum and in the beginning of
! tho intestine, if the quantity taken is
large enough. 1t penetrates the blood
| either directly or indirectly by the
veins or by the chyliferous vessels.
| Alcohol causes an acceleration of the
heart beats, followed by a correspond
ing decrease.
|
The simple physiological influence of
alcohol resembles that of the influence
OF age The functions at first excited
are enfeebled by an inevitable reaction,
muscular forces are diminished, urine
and carbonic acid are secreted i'll less
| quantity, and the temperature of the
body is lowered Alcohol does not re-
main long in the organism. The kidneys
are constant source of elimination OF
alcohol. The quantity eliminated from
the lungs is very little. The skin is an
important source of elimination, pro-
ducing a dilation of the peripherical YES
sells, so that larger quantity-of blood
is carried to the surface and the insen-
sible Transportation is increased. From
the physiological dose to the'patholog-
ical is only step, and special circum-
stances can render the former danger
GUS. Temperance is a lure. Total abb
stinence is necessary. These are con-
| illusions to which we are almost tempt
| ed to come. Washington Star.