The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-08-11


tration of this in prussic acid or
strychnine. They have no mar
cotlc effects, but end life by their
irritant effect, causing most ex-
cruciating agony and death. Now
alcohol is both narcotic and an
irritant poison. BY its irritant
action on the mucous membrance.
1t sets up inflammation that con-
family increases with its use. BY
its action on the nervous system,
1t deadens the sense of touch and
feeling, so the nerves which are
like system of telegraph wires
all over the body, to convey every
symptom of danger to the brain,
no longer do their work. If we
had no nerves to convey the SEN
sation, we might put the finger in
the fire and burn it Off, without
the brain knowing anything about
it. 1t Is thus that alcohol is able
to hide its own tracks in destruct-
i've work. Its narcotic effects put
the nervous system to sleep, and
while these sentinels of the tenn
pie are slumbering, It's irritant
work is accomplished. This irri-
tant work is permanent damage,
but the narcotic effect is tempo
rary. SO when the sentinels begin
to awaken, and take their notes of
intelligence to the brain, in re-
gard to the work of destruction,
the anguish of irritant suffering
IS felt, and demands u further
draught, IN order that the voice
of the nerves may be hushed. But
every additional narcotic means
greater irritant force, and you see
how the awful craving of the
drunkard is physiological neces-
sity.
Every poison has peculiar afIin-
ity for some special part of the
body. The painter is afflicted
with the dropwrist the poison of
the paint paralyzing the muscle
of the wrist. The printer has the
printers colic,.-the poisonous
lead he handles accumulates in
the stomach, and deranges it.
Tobacco has peculiar affinity for
the heart. No tobacco user ever
has perfect heart action. But
alcohol has a particular affinity
for the brain The brain is made
up of u watery albuminous sub
stance that attracts the alcohol
peculiarly. AS it begins to alb
sorb this watery substance, the
brain is cooked in the fiery fluid
as your egg is on the fire. If al
cohol attacked the hand, it would
not he 80 bad-we could go
through life without hand and
still be man. Without foot or
hand, our dignity and identity
would not be invaded. If alcohol
invaded the heart it might cripple
or end our physical life, and still
the manliuess of the man would
be unimpaired But when this
subtle enemy attacks the brain it
strikes manhood IN the citadel of
its power and glory.
The peculiar effects of alcohol
on the brain makes this thought
all the more fearful The French
psychologists have divided the
brain into three parts. The upper
lobe of the BRAIN is said to control
the Imagination, or creation func-
ton of thought. The central lobe
controls our reasoning faculties,
such as memory. Judgment, COM
parison, etc, and the lower COM
partment controls our sensuous
or animal feelings. Now alcohol
eKcites the upper and lower Sec
tions of the brain pheuominally,
and represses and destroys the
central section, so that the drunk
ard is a man whose imagination
runs wild. The most unreason-
able propositions assume the
guise of truth. The most COM
monplace remark is magnified
into an insult by a diseased mag
nation, and since the Judgment
and reason are dethrOned, the will
is turned over into the hands of
purely animal passions to execute
the behests of n diseased magma
ton, You see | am but giving a
scientific exposition Of facts that
you have seen all your life. The
awful thing to me Is, that SC
much social recognition is given
to a practice that dethrones the
reason and gives free rein to lust
and passion. When our socia
gatherings must needs have the
; punch bowl and wine as the chic
attractions, Is it any wonder thai
intelligent, refined men anC
women present so many tragic
stories of ruined lives? 1t is no
that in their saner moments they
: would harbor thought of lust o.
shame; but the gaiety of the ball
room, and the tinery of fashion
are no protection against a subtl,
foe which we voluntarily admi