The Washington times., 1935-12-31
Health.
Trea tnent of
Alcoholism
By LOGAN CLENDENING, M. D.

By LOGAN CLENDENING, M. D.
"Is death a possibility from
alcohol alone?" a correspondent in,
quires.
A pint of whisky, drunk all at
once, will bring a 150-pound man
close to the state.
Tomorrow, after the glad New
Year Eve celebration, there will
undoubtedly be a great many
people who will be upon the Dor.
der line of so dangerous a con-
dition. The habit which prevails
so widely in the United States
of going out with the deliberate
intention of getting plastered on
New Year Eve is decidedly, what
ever its other aspects are, a
health problem.
The victim Of acute alcoholism,
it is true, generally RECEIVERS with
out treatment but, depending
upon the amount taken, there
| intervenes a paralytic stage in
which emergency treatment may
be life-saving.
The symptoms in this condition
are those Of beginning paralysis
of the lower nerve centers. The
higher nerve centers, Of course,
have long since ceased to function.
breathing is slow and noisy; the
pulse is scarcely discernible; the
skin is cold and blue; the pupils
of the eyes dilated, and the mus.
cular reflexes are abolished. If
this condition lasts beyond 13
hours, recovery is rare.
Alcohol is very rapidly oxidized
in the body, and if taken in small
quantities over period Of several
hours, diluted with water, the
danger of acute alcoholic paralysis
is remote. 80
Alcohol causes an acidoSis in the
body due to retention of carbon
dioxide and accumulation Of Tactic
acid, with a diminution of the
alkali reserve. The after effects,
or hangover, are ascribed to Tactic
acid in the arterial blood. Not
more than 10 per cent, and rarely
more than 2 per cent, of alcohol
is thrown out by the lungs and
kidneys. The remainder is com.
pletely oxidized in the body and
after debauch, it may take from
- to "a hours to accomplish this.
Carbon dioXide inhaled hastenS
elimination through the lungs.
Oxygen hastens oxidation. That
is the modern treatment Of acute
alcoholism. The administration Of
10 per cent of carbon dioxide and
80 per cent of oxygen for a mini.
mum time of half an hour may
prevent death and accelerate re-
covery in acute alcoholism. This
is best done in a hospital.
In Emergencies
Emergency trea tim ent by
friends should be directed toward
first removing as much alcohol as
possible from the body. In the
stage of paralysis a great deal re-
mains in the stomach unabsorbed.
and this can easily be removed.
Keeping the patient warm, in.
creasing respiration by artificial
respiration if necessary, and ,ad'
ministering coffee as a Stimu1ant
as soon as the patient is able to
respond. are also important ele'
ments in treatment.
A. B. N: "Do you advise con
traSt baths, from hot to cold, fol
neuritis the same as for arthritis?'
Answer: Yes. changes from very
hot to very cold water and back
again.
EDITORS NOTE: Six pamph.
lets by DR.. Clendeninig can now
be obtained by sending 10 cents
in coin, for each, and self-ad'
dressed envelope stamped with a
three-cent stamp, to DR.. Logar
Clendening, in care of this paper
The pamphlets are: indigestion
and Constipation" Reducing and
Gaining" Infant Feeding" I'm
structions for the Treatment of
Diabetes" Feminine Hygiene, y
and 1.-THE Care Of the Hair and
Skin"
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