Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-19
POPE'S DOCTOR
DISCOVERS NEW
ALCOHOL EVILS
Narchiafava DemoIishes Theory
That Small Doses Of Liquor
Aid Brain Workers.
Special Correspondence of The Sun
day American,


day American.
MILAN, oct 1S.-After remaining
"a session for four consecutive days,
during which 300 doctors, university
professors and educators arraigned
alcohol for its terrible effects on men
and society, the Anti Alcoholism Con-
gresS has adjourned to meet again
TWO wears hence.
A feature Of the congress was a
lecture by Professor Marchiafava,
Who holds the chair of pathological
anatomy at the local university, and
who is better known as the Pope s
consulting physician on the pathology
~ alcoholism He revealed to the
medical profession series Of discov-
cries made by him and his assistants
his clinic in Rome Of the effects
~ alcohol on the Cerebellum.
Great Increase in Deaths.
Professor MarChiafava pointed out
all the evils accruing from the i'm
moderate use OF alcohol The
organs most exposed to the delete
r4ous effects of the poison are natur-
ally those which first come under its
influence, he said. Hence acute al
roholiC gastritis and later cirrhosis
IF the liver.
Dealing in statistics, he said that,
whereas ten years ago the percent
age Of deaths from acute or chronic
alcoholism IN Italy amounted to IA
per !, 900, 600 Inhabitants, it has now
gone up A.
Returning TO the purely scientific
field, Professor MarChiafava dealt
with the pathological effects Of alco-
lolism on the human organism, Civ
,ug special Importance TO the degen-
Grafton Of the cardiac muscle-the
nVf sel 20
generation as result Of excessive
Indulgence in wine or beer
From Eugenic Standpoint.
lie dwelt at length on the effects
which the abuse of alcohol is likely to
have In producing arterio- scierosis
and that particular hypertrophy Of
he heart known as beer heart"
From the standpoint Of eugenics.
now so generally discussed both in
America and in Europe, Professor
Marchtafava said alcoholism was re-
spouslble for irreparable deteriOra-
lion, and in every case irremediably
1arning the children. who are born
with a physical and moral stigma
which brands them throughout their
lives and makes them candidates for
prison or criminal asylums when not
sending them prematurely to the
grave
Experiments on Animals.
Professor MarchiafaVa said that
under his direction one of his assist
ants. Dr. Schiboni, of the PATHOLOGY
al Institute of Rome, has begun q
series OF experiments on animals to
which alcohol is given daily. One Of
me things observed is that after sew
eral months Of ingestion Of alcohol
The kidney glands of the animals
showed signs of alteration and le-
sions
Very interesting were Professor
Marchiafava's remarks on the dele
FERROUS effects Of alcohol on the brain
lie secuted the idea that alcohol. even
IN small doses, is a beneficial stimu-
lant Tor brain workers, and advised
all such to abstain from alcohol when
under the stress of hard work re-
curing close application.
Changes in the Brain.
Ihe demonstration he gave Of the
DEVASTATING effects Of alcohol on the
Grain cells, and especially on those
"I the cerebellum and its adjuncts.
aroused the keenest interest Of his
learned audience
lie related that in the brains OF
ms habitual drunkards he and his as
Sistdnts had observed marked changes
"' "a distinct degeuerative nature, es-
p.''a"y IN the connecting muscle Of
.he enCephalos, and that in other in
stances changes, consisting of the ap-
Peafance Of black dots, had also been
deserved in the white substance of
ne brain and in the cerebral convolu-
ions
To these alterations correspondent,
ioieSsor Marchiafava said, the fol-
owing physical disorders: Degenera-
ION Of the character; loss of the
sense Of decenCy, of love for the fam
my and family life, of the sense of
.@HoT and state OF permanent irri-