The Republican., 1899-04-20
lants and tonics, and even at the pres

lants and tonics, and even, at the pres
ent day this opinion is entertained.
not only by the laityy but by large
number of the medical profession.
Such an opinion, however, cannot
stand in the light of scientific expert
mentation and clinical experience. It
is true that alcohol and alcoholic liq-
uors, even when taken in moderate
doses, increase the number of beats
of the heart per minute, but this does
not mean that the circulation is accel-
Grated. So far from this, there is abun-
dance of proof on all sides of the ques-
ton that alcohol retards the circula-
ton of the blood through the blood
vessels and tissues of the body.
This paralyzing effect of alcohol
upon the vasomotor constructor nerves
is well illustrated in the congestion of
the. liver, of the lungs, of the face,
and of other parts of the body, seen
in persons who have been addicted to
the use of alcoholic liquors for long
time.
A man takes a drink or two of liq-
uor, and thinks that he is stronger,
that he can lift more, that he can eo-
dure more physical exertion, than
he could before he took the
drinks. But if we test his mus
cles carefully both before and after
taking the alcoholic liquor, we shall find
that the alcohol has greatly diminished
his muscular strength. He feels,ss++reAg=
,er but he is and this can
be demonstrated beyond doubt by any
one who will take the pains to do so.
Alcohol also destroys the normal
function of the blood. 1t unites with
the hemoglobin of the blood, and tends
to break down the red blood-corpus-
cles, and in every way interferes with
the oxygen-carrylng properties of the
red blood-corpuscles. By cutting off
the normal supply of oxygen that
should be carried to the tissues, it in
terferes with proper oxidation, and
consequently lowers the temperature
of the body, interfering with the nutri-
tive processes of the body generally.
Alcohol also interferes with the ac
tion of the kidneys. 1t prevents the
elimination of waste matter from the
body, and is often the cause of serious
| disease in these organs.
It's effect is no less marked on the
nervous system than on other parts of
the body. Experiments made in
physiological laboratories in different
parts of the country, and also in Eu-
rope, have established the fact that
when alcohol is given to rabbits or
other animals, even in moderate guam
titles, the effect upon the nerve cells
is seen almost Immediately.
The following is partial list of the
many diseases which it causes, and
which to a large degree at least might
be prevented by abstaining from its
use: Different forms of paralysis, epi-
lepsy, apopleXy, general paralysis of
the insane, delirium tremens, different
forms of insanity, pneumonia, con-
sumption of the lungs, different forms
of indigestion, liberation of the stom-
ach, cancer of the stomach, Bright's
disease of the kidneys, cirrhosis of the
liver, fatty degeneration of the heart,
diseases of the blood-vessels.
Surely no one who will give this mat
ter thought, and look into it with an
unprecedented mind and desire to find
the truth, can come to any other conclu-
sion than that alcohol always does
harm and is never needed in the body,
either in health or in the treatment of
disease, except it be as an antiseptic
for the purpose of destroying germs.
The truth expressed centuries ago in
the language of the wise man: "Wine is
a mocker, strong drink is raging, and
whosocver is deceived thereby is not
wise" holds equally true to-day.-W,
III. Riley, NJ. D.. in Good Health.