The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-01-31
WHISKYAND HEALTH
RUlNous EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON
THE HUMAN BODY.

may, under the influence of alcohol,
poison of his own manufacture. sink so
far as to lose his physical powers, his
mental clearness and his moral respon-
sibiliv Is sight crying out to heaven
for pity. Yet it is entirely voluntary,
completely of his own free Will. The
drinking habit was never formed as
the result of drink forced upon a
man against his wish. 1t Is the result
of his own repeated acts of drinking.
Let us trace the effects Of alcohol up
on the various parts of the system and
then consider its final influence upon
the physical and mental well being of
| the human race.
First, what Is alcohol, and how Is It
obtained? Alcohol is a colorless liquid.
the principal ingredient in all forms of
Intoxicating drinks, and Is obtained by
the fermentation of substances con-
tanning sugar. Thus wines are made
by fermentlng the grape juice, which
contains grape sugar; lager, ale and
porter are produced by fermentlng
grains and vegetables which contain
malt sugar; splrituous liquors are OBJ
tanned by distilling sugary substances
directly, as molasses, which becomes
rum, or Indirectly, as in the case of the
brandles made from grapes, apples and
peaches, and whisky made from grains
or potatoes whose starch is first con-
verted into sugar
These various drinks differ greatly
in their alcoholic strength, the differ
ence ranging from 6 to per cent of
alcohol in beer to 80 or 5S in brandy.
This means that in beer one drop in II
Is pure alcohol and in brandy one drop
in two. Different emotional effects are
produced by different drinks. but the
long continued practice of drinking
even the milder forms of alcoholic bev-
erages, such as beers or light wines. in
variably causes the establishment of
such desires and cravings as require
the strongest forms to satisfy, so that
the ultimate results are Identical
whether one form or the other be
habitually taken.
The first effect of alcohol is to in
crease the amount of gastric juice in
the stomach, so that If food be present
digestion is more easily accomplished.
VI II ibOh bt dbHtbis NIG uUDtllAt iO4
ii Is created. Hence the drinker will
often urge this effect rs an excuse for
the liberation of the habit; but, like
all the other immediate effects of alco-
hol, this gradually requires n larger
amount for its production, so that
when one drink served at first two
are afterward required then three and
eventually no amount will produce the
desired effect.
The next organ to feel the effect OF
alcohol Is the heart. Entering the
blood through the stomach, the alcohol
Is carried in a few seconds to the
heart, where its presence makes that
organ beat faster. The heart distrib-
utes the blood all over the system and.
beating faster under the influence of
the stimuhnt. sends more blood than
before to the various parts of the body
Mounting to the brain, the blood car
ries the alcohol into that wonderful
organ. The emotions are aroused, the
thoughts flow more quickly, the sense
of pleasure Is awakened, the eye
brlghtens, the speech is loosened and
the drinker becomes animated in con
versation and gesture. AS the visible
effects of the alcohol wear away the
person returns to his natural condition.
Thus far | have described only the
effect of small quantity OF alcohol
Even when confined to so small an
amount of stimulation as this the
poison still does harm, for these ef-
fects have been caused by the rrita-
ton of its fumes and, though the visi-
BILE effects have passed away, traces
of the irritation linger in the system
But when taken in larger quantities
its effects become more apparent.
lntoxcation is Greek word mean
Ing poison. The physician studying
the effects of poisons finds that opium.
belladonna. hasheesh, strychnine. alec.
hol and various other drugs produce
intoXcation, but of these alcoholic pol
soning Is the most common and, be-
cause II is the most common, causes
the greatest number of deaths. The
sale of every poison save alcohol must
under the law be registered and the
names OF buyer and seller recorded.
1t Is murder to give knowingly to fel-
low being such poisons as arsenic,
opium and strychnine in quantities
producing death. Yet every day In the
year there are thousands of men know
ingly giving to their fellow men the one
poison which causes more misery. suf
fering. insanity. murder and suicide
than all others combined Such prac.
tice Is violation of natures lneXo-
rable law which none can defy with
impunlty
Yet 1t Is unquestionably true that
none could be found to dispense the
poison unless there were those to ask
or call for II. 1t Is. therefore. with the
drinker himself that the chief fault lies.
and 1t Is to the present or would be
drlnker that these words of warning
nre addressed.
In health no one requires alcohol; In
certain diseases these drinks have
their uses, but such uses under the care
and guidance of physician will nev
er lead to destructive effects upon
either mind or body.
In different individuals alcohol picks
out different organs or tissues of the
body In which It's ruinous effects be-
come m jst noticeable, but though any
one pcitlon Of the system may sooner
exhibit tho ravages of this poison than
n n ,fhap nj t,orffong of Tho l.,1,. 49,.