The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-02-24
WHY MEN "SEE SNAKES
Scientists Working on the Problem
Caused by "Overindulgence.'

result of OVerlndulSenCe Ill dlCouol iS
we'll understood. But how does such
overindulgence act? And why should
some hard drinkers never see
snakes" while other and much mild
or victims visualize them to such a
degree that loss of life follows? Theo-
ries of delirium tremens are not
wanting. but there are so many as to
indicate that the truth is yet undls-
covered in it's completeness, says the
Journal of American Medical assocla-
ton. There appears to be an inter-
esting, though disquieting, reason tor
revival of research in the subject just
now. The writer tells us that since
the Harrison narcotic law went into
effect many drug habitues, having ex-
hausted their supply and failing to
obtain more, have turned to alcohol
as a substitute. In some who had
been drinking for years the sudden
and marked increase in the amount
of LIQUOR consumed has led to the
frequent occurrence of delirium tre-
mems. After noting that 'chronlc
alcoholic poisoning produces we'll
known changes in the central and
peripheral nervous SYSTEM" he adds,
in substance:
GAS yet, however, no changes have
been found in the brain which explain
why a man who has been drinking
for years suddenly develops a de-
lirium which runs a definite course
Of from three to five days or even
longer.
cit has been thought that delirium
tremens is an acute infection occur
ring in chronic alcoholics. Neverthe-
less, many cases run their entire
course without fever, and Nome
found blood-cultures negative in fif-
teen consecutive cases examined by
him. Doeliken believes that con-
tinued drinking of alcohol results in
the production of poisonous sub
stance in the brain itself, and that an
accumulation or concentration Of this
substance produces delirium tremens.
jacobson explains the delirium as an
autointoxication, the toxin arising
from the pheumococcus gaining en-
trance through the liver, the kidney
or the intestinal tract, and acting on
brain which has been poisoned over
long period of time by alcohol. The
view of Hertz differs from this in that
the supposed poison which precipi-
tates the delirium comes from an in
suficiency on the part Of the kidney.
According to Bonhoeffer, chronic al
ternation in the intestinal tract is re-
sponsible for the elaboration of poi
son which is normally excreted
through the lungs. Wagner Won
Jauregg believes that the liver, rath-
er than the lungs, is the organ which
fails to eliminate the poison, and he
thinks that this failure is due to the
changes occurring in the liver IN
chronic alcoholism. Kaufman has
asserted that this poison is a carbon
derivative acting on medulla alter
ed as a result of chronic alcoholism.
He believes that the delirium will
persist until the deduction Of this
carbon-derivative stops"
All of these theories presuppose a
poisoned central nervous system. 1t
has been objected, however, that
many chronic drinkers never suffer
delirium. 1t has been suggested that
different poisons may result from ex-
cessive drink and that only one of
these may cause delirium tremens.
There are, however, still other theo-
ries.
ssThe possibility that delirium is
due to an increase in the pressure and
amount of the spinal fluid has recent
" been considered. yauregg, OF
Vienna, assumes that the body of the
chronic alcoholic protects itself by
the production of an anti-alcohol
which is of the nature of an antitox-
in. When a hard. drinker suddenly
stops taking alcohol this anti-alco-
holic substance, having no alcohol to
which to afix itself, acts on the body
in such a manner as to produce de-
. lirium tremens. Hare maintains that
the development of delirium is due
to a sudden fall in the amount of al
cohol circulating in the blood of al
coholics. His evidence is drawn from
a study of Is cases, in nearly all o1
which there was great reduction in
the amount of alcohol absorbed prior
to the onset of delirium.
Numerous objections have beer
raised to each of these theories. The
views concerning poisons and auto
intoxications have been vigorously at
faokod hecause there is, as vet M