The Republican., 1895-10-31
ALCOHOL AND PNEUMONIA.
Interesting and Valuable Information OBJ
tnIned by E1periments ON Dogs.

tanned by Experiments on Dogs.
The action of alcohol on the differ
ent organs of the human body has been
investigated so carefully and systemat-
ically that it almost seems impossible
to add anything new on the subject.
Looking over the literature we find
abundant evidence of careful study of
the question in its bearing upon heart,
brain, liver, kidneys and the digestive
tract; but, strange to say, the lungs
have apparently escaped attention, al
though few struggling notices hint
ing at the true relation between alco-
hol and the respiratory organs have
been published at different times and
in different countries.
In order to determine this question !
made a series of experiments during
the winters of 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1898,
and the results are embodied in this
report.
The animals used were dogs, male
and female, mongrels of very mixed
origin, picked up from the streets by
the city dog-catchers. They ranged in
weight from fifteen to twenty-five
good health, if voracious appetites and
strong fighting propensities can be ac-
cepted as indications of physical we'll
being. Twelve animals were used dur
ing 1S90-91, ten the following winter,
and nine during the winter of 1S92-93.
The experiments were simple. The
animal carefully etherized, received
an injection of quantity of CONNER
cial alcohol, varying from one dram to
one ounce, into the trachea just be-
low the larynx, by means of large
hypodermic syringe. After the mar
COSTS had passed away the symptoms
were noted, from hour to hour first,
from day to day later. and post
mortem examinations made after a
certain time, varying from half an
hour to four weeks, gave evidence of
the internal conditions of the respira-
tory organs.
The system in all dogs experimental
upon were alike and as follows: Diff
ticulty in breathing, increasing with
the advance on the Inflammation set
up in the respiratory passages by the
action of the alcohol, until it finally
resembled a wheeling noise and called
into activity all the accessory respira-
tory muscles; stethoscopic examina-
tion gave evidence not only of the diff
ticulty which the air encountered in
trying to force an entrace into the
bronchial tubes and air-vesicels. but
also of the tumultuous beating of the
heart while attempting to drive the
blood through the cepillaries OF the
lung. Copious expectoratiop of the
bloody, frothy mucus indicated the
progress of the disease.
Post-mortem examinations always
showed the lungs dark and congested,
solid in some places, SO solid indeed
that these parts sank when thrown
into water,
Cutting into the lung, the air-pas.
sages were found to be always filled
with bloody, frothy mucus; even the
animal that died five minutes after the
injection presented the same symp
toms. The lungs were dark and con.
gested and full of bloody mucus, show.
ing the rapidity of the inhammatory
processes and clearly demonstrating 2
how acutely sensitive the respiratory
passages are to this action of alcohol
There is probably no danger Of meet
ing contradiction when we define pneu.
monia as an Inflammation of the lung
tissue, whether of bacterial or trau
matte origin, Of lobar or lobular form
need not concern us here, as long as
we are satisfied that these infiamma
tory processes produce phenomena OBJ
served in the respiratory passages dur
ing an attack of the disease.
Alcohol introduced into the lungs O
dogs sets up pneumonia more or lesl
severe. Whether we call 1t a traumati,
pneumonia, or a broncho-pneumoni la
or coin new name for it, will NO
change the fact.
On microscopic examination Of sucl
lung-tissue the Air-tubes and vesicle
are found to be partially or completed,
allied with immense numbers of ret
and white bloed-corpuscles and larR
quantities Of mucus, and present tn
same picture as that obtained from
slide made from the lungs Of . ohil'