The Anaconda standard., 1899-07-13

esthetic. 1t numbs and depresses SEN
sorry and all brain activities" DIR
Crothers detailed experiments made ii
laboratories showing that small doses
of alcohol in a temperate man dimin'
ished his sense of seeing and hearing
A mans muscular power was lowered
his sense of smell, his memory, his
rapidity of thought were all reduced
Experiments, he said, showed that the
temperature of the body was decreased
that the hearts action was at first in
creased, then lowered: that the power
of endurance was lessened, also that
his ability to think quickly and ac-
curately was greatly diminished. The
amount of alcohol necessary to pro-
duce these effects varied in differan
persons, but was usually from one TO
two ounces Of pure spirits. These and
other experiments showed that alco-
hol depressed and lowered vital force,
and hence was dangerous.
In his institution cases of excessive
use of spirits always showed these de-
pressions in an extreme degree when
measured by instruments of precision
at the time of admission. Later the
same measurement showed great i'm
provement
Mr.. Corbett next asked: What are
the effects of alcohol on the brain and
nervous tissue?'
Replying, DR.. Crothers said: .'Alco-
hol is a corroder of nervous tissue and
destructive to the finer operations of
the cells and nerves. These facts are
brought out by experiments on dogs
rabbits and guinea pigs An animal is
fed on alcohol for two or three days
then killed and sections of the brain
cells examined under the microscope
Animals of similar age and degree of
health kept in the same circumstances
only not given alcohol. are killed and
similar sections of the brain are ex-
amined in the same way for purposes
of comparison. The results show that
the animal given alcohol has corroded
nerve cells, the other has not"
DR.. Crothers exhibited chart Illus
trating brain cells in all degrees of
degeneration and decay, dependent
upon the amount of alcohol taken.
Finer microscopic examinations >
DR.. Crothers continued, "on the deli
cate nerve filiments show a remark
able breaking down and physical de-
struction." Another chart was shown
to illustrate this, and going on, DR..
Crothers testified that the action on
nerve fibers was equally destructive
and could be determined by the
microscope after alcohol had been
given for two or three days. These
laboratory experiments" DR.. Crothers
SAID, are Delng made IN many OF the
great universities of Europe and this
country, and they confirm the theory
of the destructive action of alcohol on
nerve cells and f1bers."
During the afternoon session the
opinions of numerous other eminent
authorities, as expressed in their writ
irgs on alcoholism, were read to DR.
Crothers, and he was asked to give his
opinion of their accuracy They were
to the effect that a gradual breaking
down of the body and mind resulted
from the constant use of liquor, event
ually eliminating in alcoholic insanity
or dementia. DR.. Crothers fully agreed
with these authorities.
Mr.. Corbett then asked the witness
if he had read the testimony of Dr.
Wells and his associates, who perform
ed the autopsy on the body of Larkin
He replied that he had and was then
asked:
Having in mind the findings of the
physicians who made the autopsy and
the assumption that James Larkin had
been a constant user of alcoholic stimu-
lants for many years--had been what
might be termed a soak-what would
you say was the condition of his mind
when we find him at DR.. Wells hospital
in 1892"
Il would say he suffered from alco-