Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-03-08
BY DR.. EDWARD A. STRECKER.
Professor of Psychiatry, School Of Me Ii

cine, University of Pennsylvania.
Alcohol may be either source Of
normal enjoyment or it may be a
menace to physical and mental health
and happiness. There is no doubt
that. properly used, alcohol may favor
social relaxation and good fellowship
and may add to human pleasure
There is no doubt, too. that under GER
tain conditions alcohol is not only
poison to the body. but also a mental
poison. When these conditions exist
the alcohol becomes dangerous and
Its use is extremely likely to result in
ruin for the drinker and in unhap-
piness and misery for his family and
those who are dependent upon him.
What are the conditions under
which alcohol becomes a DANGEROUS
poison instead Of pleasant social
drink? The first condition applies to
all Of us; the second only to some OF
us. Like everything else that We take
into our bodies, alcohol is distinctly
harmful If We take too much of it.
Even food, which is necessary to sus-
tain life, will do harm if we overeat.
Taken in large quantities and taken
too constantly. alcohol not only Sc
riously damages the body in its vital
organs and structures but even worse.
It cripples the mind and sometimes de-
stroys it.
Alcohol may cause insanity. For
instance, in what is commonly known
as D. It's, delirium tremens, the pa
tient Is in such violent, fearful de-
lirium and his brain is 50 Poisoned by
alcohol that he may die. In another
form OF alcoholic insanity the patient
Is insulted and tormented, often for
many months. by imaginary voices
In another variety, not only is there
severe pain in the legs with wasting of
. the muscles so that the patient is
confined to bed and unable to walk
for months, but he is also mentally
deranged so that often he does not
even know where he is. Sometimes,
when alcohol has been heavily misused
for years. the mind is completely lost
forever, 50 that the individual who
may still be comparatively young may
have to pass the remainder Of his life
in about the same condition as q very
demented old man. -~.
Even II none Of these calamities
happen, 1t is still true that alcohol
used more or less continuously In
considerable excess is very likely to
dull the brightness and alertness of
the mind and to impair notably bust
ness and social efficiency. It must be
remembered that more or less con-
tinuously'' does not mean only con-
slant heavy drinking. and, of course,
the very excessive drinker is not free
OF mental dangers because he some
times goes ION the water wagon" for
varying periods of time.
1t is unquestionably true that too
much alcohol is bad mentally for any
Of us, even though We may have very
strong and capable minds. This is
generally known and accepted. It is
equally true but not so generally
known and appreciated that certain
people should not take any alcohol
ut ALL
Mental Allergy
to Alcohol.
No doubt you have heard the
saying, "One mans meat is another
mans poison" In a general way this
means that what is good for one per-
son may be harmful for another. Per-
haps you have heard of one Of the
developments of modern medical
science, the study of Allergy. It has
been known for long time that many
people are extremely sensitive to the
pollens of various plants and weeds
like the pollens Of golden rod or rag
weed. Others are sensitive to horses
or roses and dare not go near them.
At a certain time Of the year when in
some places the air contains certain
pollens. the victims Of hay fever begin
to sneeze, tears stream from their
eyes, their faces may become pulled
and swollen, they may have fever, and