The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-29


HodiIy Defense Cannot Resist Too
4 Heavy Assaults.
But the hepatic oxidation Of other
tonic substances Is impaired In the
mean time so that they get past the
liver to the tissues, where they may
do injury. Some of these toxins are
excreted unoxidized by the Kidneys.
There are three ways OF accounting
for this condition.: I'll The oxidation
capacity OF the liver Is limited. The
physical limit of alcohol ingestion In
that amount which taxes the oxidation
capacity OF the liver to its limit When
thus taxed all other toxic substances
Including uric acid and the xanthfn
bodies pass through the liver unoxi-
died to appear in the urine. GU The
presence Of alcohol In this blood.
through Its toxic action upon the liver
cells, impairs the hepatic oxidation
capacity and thus permits toxic sub
stances to pass unoxidized. t3) A
combination Of these conditions may
represent me real situation. II 10
hardly conceivable that the relation Of
alcohol to the liver activity is not
covered in the hypothesis above for
INFLATED.
We may therefore accept Ia as prac-
ticaiIy demonstrated BY the researches
OF Beebe. Hunt. and others that the
oxidation OF alcohol in the liver is
simply one of the defensive activities
Of that organ. |. e.. 1t Is a protective
oxidation and belongs strictly in the
same category with the oxidation of
uric acid. xanthin bodies, Ieucin. ty-
rosins. and the amido acids.
~ ~ a.
why does the liver select alcohol first
and oxidize that substance to the ex-
elusive of other toxic substances up
TO the oxidation capacity? The am
swer In probably to be found in the
chemical composition OF alcohol.
II oxidizes very easily, mucs1 more
so than Of any of the other toxic sub
stances which gain access to the liver.
Its early oxidation may be due to this
fact alone. or in part to an actual Sc
lection on the part Of the liver. An
other question of Importance: Is the
energy liberated in the oxidation Of
alcohol In the liver available for the
use of the muscles, nervous system.
or nlandsg
IL this question is answered affir-
mativeiy. then alcohol 10 a food. II
negatively. then alcohol Is not a food.
Let US reason together. All body oxt-
dation may be classified In two groupsi
III Active oxidations. which take place
In the active tisspes---muscles. nar-
vous system, or glandx--and take place
incident to action. 1t is under the
perfect control OF rie nervous system
and il proportional to normal activity
G., Protective oxidations, which take
place in the liver. This class OF oxi-
datton processes Is wholly indepenG-
ent of the usual tissue activity and 10
proportional to the ingestion OF toxic
substances and quite independent Of
muscle action. brain action. or gland
action. other than liver action.
~ he oxidation OF HicyA,oi In the
lnter belongs to class ii. tho follow
lA9Ftng consequences should be foands
80 ThAStnEesti6n of alcohol would
lead 70 An Increase In muscular power
and In the working capacity OF the
brain or glands f1l The ingestion
Of alcohol would serve 70 maintain
body Temperature In the healthy in
divtdual subjected to low external tenn
perature. 80 The accession OF mus
c1e. brain. or gland activity would be
proportional TO the amount OF alcohol
ingested. but laboratory observations
%sta &S1t%A&S EAESAAEirsE 8tfVW tEf6k none
of these things are true, 1. G., the In
gestion OF alcohol decreases muscle.
brain. and gland work. and depresses
body temperature when external tenn
perature IL low
Alcohol Docs Not Fred the Body.
In the nature Of the case there can
be no proportional relation. The oxi-
dAtton Of alcohol does not therefore
belong 10 class 1. II the oxidation
OF alcohol In the~iiver belongs to class
2. the following consequences would
be found: I'll The ingestion Of aico-
hol would he followed BY It's early osd-
dation in the organs in question.
"a II the oxidation capacity OF the
liver II limited this capacity may be
overloaded by exceeding the physioiog-
ieal limit OF alcohol CD III the oxi-
dation capacity Of the liver Ii taxed
TO ~ limit In the oxidation of uric
acid, xenthins. ard other toxic sub
stances, the Introduction Of alcohol
may seriously interfere with this pro-
tecttve oxidation BY overtaxinx the
capacity. t4y III the oxidation ca
pacity ID overtaxed. an excess of mic
acid. xanthin bodies. and other toxic
substances will set by tliia portal ard
reach the active tissues OF the kid-
neys. Now all OF these things take
place, 10 we are forced to the con-
ciusion that the oxidation Of alcohol
II . protective oxidation. In the light
Of this presentation the Significance
Of DR.. Hunts work becomes very
clear. The alcohol given In the ana
mails taxed the oxidation capacity IL
the liver TO the limit and left the
organism defenseless against bacterial