The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-26
". c. 7. j. WORK
HOW MUCH MAY 4 MAN DRINK?
q. Madison Taylor, NJ. ID

He was provided with
a quart OF whisky as antidote for
possible bite. He got the bite. Be
ing a long way from rescue, it be-
came necessity for him TO act jul
diciously. Skilled help he sorely
needed. To get it he must walk to
where it could be procured. The
question became urgent how much
OF the (supposed) antidote it would
be wise to take to nullify the effects
of the venom without paralyzing his
legs. In this grave, possibly fatal,
uncertainty he stood for the space OF
a long summers day. neatly poised
between funk and a jag
In my younger days | assisted DR..
Weir Mitchell in an elaborate study
of snake venoms which constitutes a
classical series of scientific observa-
lions. These have been recently
completed by that brilliant Japanese,
HadeO Naguchi. The idea of alcohol
serving in any way to benefit a per-
son bitten by a snake is proven to
be wholly erroneous. The only pos
sible salutary effect on the victim
would be surcease of sorrow, a
toxic oblivion. a delirium of danger
Gus contentment. -
The question of how much alcohol
one may safely take has c0pied
wise men to an. extent WhJe4 forms
a pitiable trayesty on aAfnest en-
deavor or so-caI1ed q fnYes-
tigation. Alae tor the ! trpVersies
often bitter Ind na1 - s haye.
,beAn wAEed IN 8 ia Ri FTof s1cies1cet
Too much 0fs rs called science IS
mere fact a. many individuals sur
we kO esle e14dsof long (but rarely
'u1e3 1Hey drinking vast amounts
~ 18toxfcating liquors, is less evil
Hence for the harmlessness OF seduc-
tive fluids than testimony to the
marvellous adjustability of the HUI
man organism to the misuse of pois-
ons. The analogy is shown IN a
thousand other fashions. Prof. Will
liam James's essay on "The Energies
of Men," S. J. Meltzer's essay on
The Factors of Safety in Animal
Economy" are recent and graphic
presentations of well-established
facts.
But how much alcohol may a man
drink daily or weekly and suffer no
harm-that is, sustain no definite
insult to organic integrity? 1t
has been carefully determined that
an ounce or two may be taken daily,
and no damage ensue for many
years to the grosser structures.
This, however, does not take into
account: (a) the loss of vital ac-
tivity through the expenditure of
force in the process of adjustment,
or accustOming of the organism to
foreign and intrinsically hurtful
agencies; nor OBJ to the less obvi-
Gus, or less demonstrate, morbid
changes which are caused by them
in an otherwise normal organism;
nor Co the gradual lowering Of
these essential auto-protective forces
upon which an organism is compell-
ed to rely, which we call the in
herent powers of immunization, -
the defenses which exist whereby
the body can meet and overcome
those manifold perils which assail
it from the cradle to the grave.
To decide the query propounded
in the title Gin strict accord with
the evidence) one must either I'M
dertake an enormous research
among the mass of ephemeral rec
ords, or judge critically and dispas-
sionately among the conclusions of
those who have done so. This testi-
mony is growing steadily in one di-
rection, namely, that the use of any
alcohol internally produces a mark
eddy disturbing and deterring effect
upon the body fluids, cells and the
organic functions.
The loss of oxygen which alcohol
imposes on the tissues (by modify
ing oxidation in the blood stream)
lnterfereS with general nutrition
and, therefore, lowers the activity OF
the vital process. Any quantity of
alcohol absorbed into the circulation
thus acts as depressant."
A full sitting of the evidence
| (quite apart from what one may
choose to believe) shows that alco-
hOl is in no sense a food; what little
| heat energy it liberates when oxidiz-
ed is not utilized by tissue cells. The
only demonstrable effect of alcohol
| is to interfere with the nutritional
| process; it only spares the proteids
| fats and carbohydrates, as do other
stimulating agents; that is, by him
dering tissue respiration. Its pro
phylactic action, therefore. is de-
| structive, never constructive. The
admitted, but very slight and eva
blood pressure by alcohol is followed
promptly by disproportionately
greater depression; the penetration
of plasma into cellular elements i:
delayed; marked general vascular
| relaxation enSueS which is danger
| Gus.
Finally it is an indubitable eco
nomic fact demonstrated by those
vast aggregations Of capital known
as life insurance companies (whost
purpose is to estimate the effects o
all influences which make or mar TIL
span OF lifel that those who use NJ
alcohol whatever exhibit an increas
ing resistance to death-producin!
agents u several hundred per cent
If. in the face OF all this unim
peachable testimony, any individual
shall elect to use alcohol as a mean
of producing artificial, and at bes
only temporary, eXaltation Of feel
ings. then the matter is in his Ow1
hands