Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-03-23
The Effects of Alcohol on the
Body.

Body.
Were the effects OF alcohol upon
The body known in their entirety,
and were it then easily seen that,
from first 10 last, that the largest and
doses are injurious to perfect
health, the case of the total abstainer
would be easily established. While
the evils Of excessive drinking are ap-
parent and universally admitted, it is
with some show Of reason that
moderate drinkers defend themselves.
They believe that the measure Of
health they enjoy is unhurt by their
moderate use Of alcohol. And many
regard alcohol as a stimulant and
food. That it makes them happier
and they enjoy themselves more.
But alcohol never, even when used in
the smallest quantities adds to the
human happiness, that period during
which it is stimulant can be count
ed by minutes, and from that time il
commesees its work of destruction,
steadily taking the keen edge OF
health from every process Of life.
Alcohol IS said to be a drug whose
action is s,imulant IN small doses and
narcotic in larger. AS q stlmulart
it produces an Increased flow of gas.
trio juice; a heightened consciousness
of muscular and nervous energy;
more rapid action of the heart; deep
ened respiration, and keener sense
of pleasure. In larger doses it is
just the opposite, causing sleep, un-
consciousness and finally death.
On reachln. the stomach it i'm.
mediately abolishes the action Of
those cell ganglic that maintain the
calibre Of the vessels in the walls OF
that cavity. These vessels are al
lowed TO dilate; the mucous mem
braae is flushed with blood, and
the glands pour forth their secretions
both peptic and mucous.
Alcohol is absorbed and by the
blood difused throughout the body.
Reaching that part of the nervous
system whose continuous action
maintains the calibre of the blood
vessels large and small, through the
continuous contraction of the circular
muscular 6bres in their coat it para
lyzes its action, and general vascu-
lar di,ation ensues, causing blushing
Of the skin, and an incipient con-
gestion of the brain with its closely
woven blood system. This flushing
of the brain surface with blood pro
duces that rapid swift glancing,
pleasureable flow and increased in
tensity Of thought, that is so easily
seen in the early stages of drinking.
As result of this dilation of the
vessels it follows that the heart has
less blood to contract upon; the yes
sells holding more Of the total quanti-
ty it has less resistance to overcome,
and less work to do. Its action is
therefore faster. Thus it is easy to
show that there is scarcely a disease
of what ever origin that alcohol does
not aggravate.
Alcohol has been called the "genius
of degeneration and marked dis
orders areseasily seen to be induced
by it. fatty and ibrous degenerations
and deeply rooted nervous disorders.
The man who INDUCES in alcohol
treads backwards the paths Of educa-
ton and civilization. The circle of
those whose rights and feelings he
respects begins to narrow. He is
ralkative and reveals his secrets; he
is reckless and dares stakes, that in
calmer moments he knows he would |
lose; losing respects for the right of
others he is easily tempted beyond
honesty and honor; he gets coarse
and cruel; he will not hesitate to beat
or murder his own friend or wife,
and finally he loses coordination of
his own movements, and sleep and
death generally follows.
Men who drink argue that the ef-
fects of alcohol are diminished by
adoption OF the system to its use,
that the effects are never injurious
but are rather beneficial up to GER
tain dose. Man possesses an extensive
power of self adaptation to changed
surroundings, he is hard to kill, but
there are many degrees of impair
ment before death, and he can exist
upon low platform of vitality. It
must therefore be said that alcohol is
a poison to which the system may
adopt itself at certain cost, the cost
of impaired health and diminished
chances Of life. Thus far, then in
the argument, and it is time to look
back along the track, examining
thr symptoms produced upon man
by alcohol Acting upon a highly
complex proto-plasm of the human
body it destroys all the activities
which man has in command with the
lower animals. and those peculiar to