Year: 1875

About Livers


The liver under consideration was that
of an old whisky drjnker-a regular old
soaker" who had not drawn sober
breath, in all probability for six or eight
years. And yet it was not very aggrava-
ted case The liver had been taken fresh
from the body-that is, before decomposi-
ton set in, and it was placed in alcohol to
preserve it for scientific examination.
The livers OF drinkers present different
appearances, according to the habits Of
the victims and to the character of their
potations. A great deal of information
has been accumulated by medical men
upon this subject. One eminent physician,
after an examination OF seventy livers of
drunkards says, that in moderate drink
ers the liver was generally found to be
somewhat larger than usual, its texture
sottened, and its outer surface spotted,
with patches of fatty intiltration extending
two or three lines into the tissue of the
gland the rest Of the viscus retaining its
natural color, and its edges their normal
sharpness In those who had been more
addicted to the use of spirits the liver was
still larger, its edges were more obtusc,
and the patches of the fat on its surface
were larger and more numerous In old
drunkards the liyers are very large, weigh
ing at least six or eight pounds often from
ten to twelve; the edges are very thick
and much rounded; the tissue or substance
of the gland almost white with fat, soft,
fragile, and the peritoneal covering could
be torn off with ease.


A healthy liver should show no trace of
fat; when that sets in, it means slow but
certain DEATH The liver of our departed
friend, the old soaker, was of enormous
size, and had undergone a thorough fatty
degeneration. Two much fat is the result
of disease anyhow, but when it accumu-
lates in or around the internal organs,
such as the heart, liver or kidneys. it is
time to send for the undertaken. The OBJ
servations cited above were of cases 10
England where the ''hob- nailed liver is
not so common as in this country, owing
to the fact that our drunkards kill them
selves mostly with rum, brandy and whis-
key, which produce the false membranes
adheslons, puckerings, etc, noticeable in
1C0st-n0rtem examinations OF drinkers liy-
ers. Persons addicted to drink usually
become fat, corpulent, even, and give in
dications Of unusual energy and strength,
but these are very iallacious. and soon
pass away, to be succeeded by t1abbiness
languor, and frequently to excessive lean
ness, except of the abdomen, which re-
tains its protuherance, in consequence Of
the deposition of fat in the fatty mem
brane covering the bowels in front, on
"bay-window


1t is quite safe to say that there is not
single spirit drinker whose liver is not
more or less affected by his indulgence
whether it is occasional only or Of con
tinuons repetition. 1t is impossible for
the liver to escape, for while the fumes Of
drink are carried directly into the brain.
every drop OF liquor that is swallowed
passes through the liver and acts upon its
tissues The best illustration of the ef-
tects Of spirits upon the raw tissues OF the
human body may be had by holding 4
quantity of whisky. brandy, rum, gin etc,
in the mouth for a few moments and then
splitting it out. The mouth and gums will
be found par-bCiled and puckered in II
very unpleasant and uncomfortable man
ner The same effect is produced in
ternally, and thousand times repeated in
the drunkard, until at last the vitals arc
burned ont and death the most loathsome
claims its horid, poor, despised and ire
claimablc victim TCinainnati CONNER
cial