afterwards, he found a powerful odour of was the stomach, and this was found to this fluid in the blood, in addition to which contain a considerable quantity of undiluted he obtained some of it by means of distilling gin.* a portion of the same substance. The Dr. Ogston relates a similar circumstance, experiments of M. Sigelas are equally con- which came under his own observation. "The clusive. He found that diluted alcohol body of a woman, aged forty, who was beinjected into the bronchial tubes or veins, or lieved to have drowned herself in a state of applied upon serous membranes produced intoxication, was found, on the 23rd of intoxication as speedily as when taken into August, 1831, in the Aberdeenshire canal. the stomach, and that this effect was retard- In company with another medical man, I ed or accelerated by those circumstances was requested to inspect the body, in order which, in general, retard or quicken ab- to report the cause of death, none having sorption.* Tiedemann and Gmelin also witnessed the act. In addition to the usual recognized alcohol by its odour in the blood appearance in drowned persons, we disof the splenic vein, although they were covered nearly four ounces of fluid in the unable to detect it in the chyle. ventricles, having all the physical qualities According to Mr. Hare, it is not difficult of alcohol, as proved by the united testimony to conceive that intoxication depends on an of two other medical men, who saw the body actual transfer of volatile spirit from the opened, and examined the fluid. The stomach stomach to the brain, and that errors of also smelt of this fluid."+ perception and general derangement of the Dr. Kirk, of Greenock, Scotland, relates sensorium, usually exhibited under the in- the following additional case : "I dissected fluence of strong liquors, are produced by a man," says he, "who died in a state of the direct agency of such diffusible matter intoxication, after a debauch. The operation on the substance of the brain and its par- was performed a few hours after death. In ticular nerves.† two of the cavities of the brain, the lateral Several circumstances combine to show ventricles, was found the usual quantity of that the brain is not acted upon by means limpid fluid-when we smelled it, the odour of nervous sympathy only, but that the of the whiskey was distinctly visible; and deleterious poison is conveyed to that organ when we applied the candle to a portion in a directly through the medium of the circulation spoon, it actually burned blue; the lambent of the blood. Dr. Ogston is of opinion, blue flame, characteristic of the poison, that this fact is proved by the speedy re- playing on the surface of the spoon for some action of alcohol on the kidneys, and its seconds."+ presence in the breath even after its entire removal from the stomach. A strong odour of spirits has been observed in the breath, when none could be detected in the stomach, by careful examination of its contents after removal. Dr. S. Akerly, of America, states that he once bled a man, who was afterwards ascertained to be a great drunkard, whose blood smelled strong of spirit, and when agitated in the vessel, the fumes of rum arose as if from the pure liquor. Frequent fits were the consequence of this man's intemperance. A great variety of articles pass into the circulation, by means of lacteal absorption, or A post mortem examination of a man who direct imbibition from the coats of the died of long continued intoxication from stomach, from whence they have immediate immoderate drinking, was made by Dr. access to the blood. The comparative ra- Wolff, who found that the surface, and still pidity of this operation varies in the different more the ventricles of the brain had a strong articles submitted to experiment. smell of brandy, although the contents of Mr. Hare relates the following case, by the stomach had not.|| way of illustration: A healthy, labouring Dr. Percy has recently published a thesis man, about thirty years of age, engaged, "to on this subject, the result of most careful drink an entire quart of gin for a wager." investigation, for which a gold medal was Having at a single effort accomplished this awarded by the medical faculty of the foolish feat, he fell down within a quarter of University of Edinburgh. It is deserving an hour in a state of intoxication. In this of serious attention, not only on account of state he was conveyed to Westminster Hos- the important conclusions deduced from his pital, where he died in less than three hours, experiments, but the accurate manner in and, on the following morning, underwent a which his investigations were conducted. It post mortem examination. "The substance is entitled, "An Experimental Inquiry conof the brain," remarks Mr. Hare, "had the cerning the presence of Alcohol in the most healthy appearance imaginable. On Ventricles of the Brain, after poisoning by arriving at the ventricles, however, a strong that liquid, together with Experiments, smell of gin was emitted; and they contained illustrative of the Physiological action of a preternatural, though not very large, quantity of fluid, which had powerfully the same smell. Our next object of examination * Revue Med. tome ix. p. 476 Hare on the Stomach and Alimentary Organs pp. 169, 170. + Dr. Ogston on Intoxication, Edinburgh Med and Surg. Journal, vol. xl, 1833, p. 293. +Hare on the Stomach and Alimentary Organs Address to the Leven Temp. Society. p. 6. p. 169. Edition. 1821. Christison on Poisons. 3rd Edit. p. 853. Alcohol." The British and Foreign Medical was little struggling during the passage of Review, in reference to this work, remarks, the instrument; but scarcely was the injec"There is no doubt of the correctness of tion completed, when the animal uttered a Dr. Percy's tests, nor any appearance of loud, plaintive cry, and, being dropped by fallacy in his experiments, or the conclusions Mr. Wright, fell lifeless to the ground. which he draws from them." Not a gasp was afterwards taken, nor, after These experiments were principally made the lapse of one or two minutes, could a on dogs, and were most conclusive in their single pulsation of the heart be felt: the results. They strongly corroborate the cases function of respiration and the action of the just related. In one case in which alcohol heart, remarkable to say, were suddenly and was injected into the stomach of a dog, by almost simultaneously arrested. Yellowish means of an elastic catheter, the following fæces were evacuated, and the pupils was the result of a "chemical examination" appeared to be dilated to the greatest possible made immediately after death, which took extent. Never did I see every spark of place in about an hour and a half. "The vitality more effectually and more instanbrain and the blood from the jugular vein, taneously extinguished I proceeded, as the urine, the bile, and the contents of the soon as possible, to remove the brain; which, stomach, were severally subjected to analysis; in order to save time, was effected by splitand in every instance an appreciable quantity ting the head longitudinally, on a line with of alcohol was obtained, as proved both by the longitudinal sinus. At 10 minutes past the test of dissolving camphor, and that of 4 precisely, the brain was extracted, ininflammability."'* stantly cut into slices, and introduced into a In another similar case the head was opened matrass. The usual precautions being obin about three quarters of an hour after served, distillation was immediately perdeath. "A decided smell of alcohol was formed, and the process concluded. I immediately perceived ;" and in the evening obtained a supernatant stratum, not less when the brain was subjected to distillation, than one-third of an inch in depth, which a sensible quantity of alcohol was obtained burned with a blue flame, and dissolved in the usual manner.' A considerable camphor. The blood, also, procured from portion of the liver was subjected to the the different cavities of the heart and great same process, and "a supernatant stratum veins of the chest, furnished, on analysis, a of alcohol half an inch in depth was ob- stratum of alcohol half an inch deep. On tained."+ opening the chest, a decidedly alcoholic In a third case in which alcohol had been smell was perceived, as evidenced by Mr. injected into the jugular vein of a small Wright, my brother, (who was ignorant of terrier, "A strong and unequivocal smell the experiment,) and myself. The brain, of alcohol was perceived in the cavity of the also, was thought to emit a somewhat spiritchest," which was examined in less than five uous odour. minutes after death. On the following day the head was examined, when "a decided smell of alcohol was instantly perceived; and the brain yielded on analysis a very sensible quantity of alcohol."+ 66 "Now, it may be observed, that not only must alcohol have been conveyed from the stomach to the brain, in the course of one or two minutes after the injection, for at this period the heart's action ceased; but that a In a fourth case in which half an ounce considerable quantity, also, must have passed of alcohol was injected into the left carotid into the current of the circulation, for the artery of a full grown spaniel, "the contents actual amount of alcohol yielded by the of the cranium, even before the dura-mater brain in this instance, equalled, if not exwas detached, emitted a strong and un- ceeded, what I have in general obtained equivocal smell of alcohol." The brain on when the poison has been allowed much chemical examination, "furnished a stratum longer time for absorption. Besides, the of alcohol, half an inch in depth."|| blood furnished an abundant quantity of alcohol."'* The following experiment was made "to determine the rapidity with which alcohol, when introduced into the stomach, is transferred to the brain." To this end Dr. Percy proposed to administer a dose of alcohol, and at the expiration of a few minutes, to destroy life by prussic acid; but says he, as will appear, "it was not found necessary to resort to the last mentioned poison.' "At 3h. 54m. p. m., with the assistance of my friend, Mr. Wright, I injected 2 oz. and 3 dr. of alcohol, sp. gr. 850, into the stomach of a full-grown spaniel bitch. There It is essential to remark, that for one or two days previous to death, the animal received but a very scanty supply of nutriment; so that the condition of the stomach and intestinal canal was extremely favourable for rapid absorption. The amount of alcohol administered in this case, and which destroyed life with such fearful rapidity, was not quite equal in quantity to that contained in a third of a pint of port wine, certainly not an uncommon allowance to those who are accustomed to take wine, after the chief repast of the day. In some of these experiments, the sub* Experimental Inquiry, &c., p. 59. stance of the brain was cut into slices, and distinctly recognize the peculiar odour of then submitted to chemical analysis. Dr. rum. In the afternoon of the same day, I Percy remarks, "These experiments are subjected part of the brain to analysis, in curious, as they show with what pertinacity, the usual manner. Every possible precaueven a liquid like alcohol, which evaporates tion was observed. I distilled over about with great facility, may adhere to, or be, two-thirds of a drachm. On agitation with as it were, combined with organic mem- subcarbonate of potass, in a small test tube, branes."* a supernatant stratum, one-fourth of an inch Among other important conclusions which Dr. Percy was authorized to draw from his experiments, were these :- The following analysis, by Dr. Percy, of a in depth, instantly appeared, and was separportion of the brain of a man who killed rated from the subjacent solution, by some himself by an excessive dose of rum, sub-flocculent matter. The liquid composing this stantiates the previous experiments. stratum, colourless and very mobile, instantly "Mr. C., æt. 24, was a person of very dissolved camphor, and burned with a blue eccentric character, but [ordinarily] of flame."* Dr. Christison, Professor of Materia temperate habits: so much so that, during the Medica in the University of Edinburgh, period of ten months which he had passed in examined the remaining portion of the brain, the same lodging, he had only once been with a similar result. seen under the influence of wine. On the evening of the 8th of April, 1838, he returned to his lodging, about 11 o'clock, in a state of perfect sobriety; and having 1. That the circumstances of alcohol being finished his supper, which consisted of cheese, separated from the brains of the dogs, and and three-quarters of a bottle of ale, he the human brain, corroborate the cases reretired to his bed-room, giving the usual lated by Dr. Ogston and others; and that instructions to his landlady, not to disturb to a certain extent, alcohol is diffused through him the next day (Sunday,) which he always the substance of the brain, and that it is not passed in bed. In the afternoon, they all contained in the cerebral vessels. knocked at his room door, but as he did though," says he, "I have subjected to not answer, they thought he was asleep. In analysis, a much greater quantity of blood the evening they again knocked, but still no than can possibly be present within the answer was given; and next morning, be- cranium, yet I have, in general, been enabled coming alarmed, they forced the door, when to procure a much larger proportion of they found him lying dead on the floor, with alcohol from the brain, than all this quantity his night shirt on, although he had evidently of blood. Indeed, it would almost seem that never been in bed. The body was examined a kind of affinity existed between alcohol on the Tuesday morning. The attitude in and the cerebral matter," [that is the matter which he was found was an easy one. The of which the brain is composed.] limbs were extremely rigid, and required 2nd. The remarkable rapidity with which much force to flex them. The skin of the alcohol may, under favourable circumstances, thighs was much puckered (cutis anserina.) be absorbed from the stomach, and conveyed The feet and hands were livid. to the brain; and "Al ،، Chest. The lungs were healthy, but 3rd. That alcohol may be detected in the gorged posteriorly with dark-coloured blood. | blood, the urine, the bile, and the liver. It The heart was natural in size; but the right may with great facility be separated from ventricle and auricle, with the vena cava the bile and liver, "and," remarks Dr. ascendens and descendens, were much dis- Percy, "this circumstance may probably tended with dark coloured fluid blood. The serve to explain the frequency of hepatic left side and aorta were perfectly empty. disease in habitual drunkards."+ "Abdomen. The stomach contained The observations of a standard Medical about 5 oz. of darkish fluid, which smelt Journal on this subject, are too important strongly of rum, or rum and sugar. Its to be omitted in this place." Spirit has lining membrane was natural in colour, except near the cardiac orifice, where it was somewhat injected. no share in that assimilation with the blood, which other articles of diet possess; since it has been declared by high authority, that “ Head.The vessels on the surface of ، spirit, is not in any quantity, miscible with the brain were unusually gorged with dark the blood, and is not capable of assimilation fluid blood. The brain generally smelled with its elements.' When introduced into strongly of the contents of the stomach, the current of the circulation, it is a body [run.] On the table, in his bed-room, altogether foreign, acts in all respects like a was a bottle containing about a tea-spoonful poisonous agent, however feeble; and the This, the landlady knew was full effects which it appears to produce in the late on Saturday night. So that it was way of stimulation or excitement, are manicertain he had drunk it all, and probably by festly due to its retarding the motion of the putting the bottle to his mouth, as there blood in the capillaries, and producing there was no glass in the room.' "On obtaining temporary stagnation and congestion. It is a portion of the brain, I thought I could| of rum. * Experimental Inquiry, &c., p. 29. * Experimental Inquiry, &c., p. 46. t Abid 101. SECTION IV. GENERAL EFFECTS OF INTEMPERANCE ON THE a foreign body, which excites the blood and A careful consideration of these statements tissues to reaction, in order to resist its leads us to the conclusion, that alcohol, in presence and introduction, and the reaction all its combinations, is a positive and effectual continues so long as it is present.' poison. In its composition and effects, it is Dr. Trotter, well remarks, that human incapable of promoting in any way healthy blood and healthful chyle, do not acknow- existence, and to persons in a state of health, ledge alcohol to be an ingredient in their it is, under all circumstances, both unnecomposition.† cessary and pernicious. The moderate The presence of alcohol in the system is proportion in which it may be taken, does at all times repulsive to its healthy opera- not do away with its injurious consequences. tions. Every part of the human frame with They are only less so in degree, and in which it comes in contact, rejects it with reality are, in the end, more destructive, significant marks of alarm, and vital efforts because less observed, and less guarded are made to get rid of its noxious influence. against. It may, in conclusion, be affirmed, Under the excitement of alcoholic stimulus, that there exists no safeguard against the the vessels of the brain receive an additional evils of alcoholic stimulants, but in the total and unnecessary quantity of blood. It is at and permanent abandonment of their use, this period, that these vessels relieve them- in all their varied and seducing combinaselves from their tortured and distended tions. condition by the effusion of serum, (or the watery particles of the blood,) on the surface, and in the ventricles of that organ. Coma and death speedily follow the deposit of alcohol in these vital regions. The same process takes place also in other organs of the body. The functions of the brain and nervous system, however, take precedence of all others in importance, inasmuch as they are essentially necessary to the vitality and healthy operation of all the other functions. The lungs also, and the kidneys make strenuous efforts to relieve themselves of the injurious load. This circumstance is proved, in the one instance, by the breath of the drunkard, which, in cases of free drinking, exhales, from time to time, a spirituous odour; and in the other, by the excited action which is produced, and the copious evacuations which follow undue indulgence. The theory of death by intoxication may be thus explained. Effusion of matter into the ventricles of the brain, renders that organ incapable of efficiently performing its functions. The other functions of the system are, by this means, essentially injured. "Not one man in a thousand dies a natural The muscles of respiration are among the death, and most diseases have their rise from infirst of those which suffer. Respiration is temperance." not conducted with adequate effect. Dark blood is retarded in the pulmonary vessels, and when it does reach its destination, returns I. The animal frame constructed with a view to still in the same state, not having undergone its usual and essential vital changes. When this unchanged blood reaches the brain, it soon extinguishes every remaining portion of its vitality. Loss of life is the speedy and inevitable result. Loss of temperature is indicated by paleness of the face, and coldness of the extremities. It is accounted for on the principle, that the changes which the blood undergoes in a healthy state of the lungs, are essentially necessary to animal temperature, and therefore every cause which retards this operation, must diminish the temperature of the system, as it paralyzes its vital energies. "Providence has gifted man with reason; to his reason, therefore, is left the choice of his food and drink, and not to instinct, as among the lower animals. It thus becomes his duty to apply his reason quantity, and what is noxious in quality, to adhere to the regulation of his diet, to shun excess in in short to the simple and the natural: among which the bounty of his Maker has afforded him an ample selection; and beyond which, if he deviates, sooner or later he will suffer the penalty." PROUT. In our world, death deputes YOUNG. LORD BACON. perfection or health.-II. Intemperance destroys the healthy relations of the system.-III. It diminishes and destroys the vital power, and prevents the organs of restoration from performing their appropriate functions.-IV. It acts as a powerful excitant of fever, cholera, and other diseases.-V. Long-lived drunkards' exceptions to a general rule.-VI. The effects of alcoholic liquors on diseases which already exist, as well as on the curative means adopted by medical men.-VII. Effects of intemperance on the physical powers.-VIII. Intemperance entails upon posterity physical debilty and disease. I. AN examination of human physiology necessarily leads us to the following conclusions : 1st. The human system has been constructed with a view to perfection. All its operations are intended to harmonize with * Ed. Med. and Surg. Journ., July, 1839, p. 180. each other, and to produce that state which Essay on Drunkenness, p. 170. is denominated health. 2ndly. This perfection, or health, depends or less physical excitement, but do not add on the proper performance of all the phy- to the bulk or strength of the system, or sical functions, which can be secured only bestow permanent vigor and refreshment. by a careful investigation and observance of "The great evil," remarks Dr. Oliver, the laws of nature; and 3rdly. Every deviation from health arises from some irregular organic action or infringement of the laws in question; for which mankind are alone responsible both to their own nature, and its Divine Author; and they must suffer the unavoidable penalties consequent on improper indulgence. This interesting investigation also leads us to the conclusion that the Creator has bestowed upon man a sufficient guide for his direction in the choice of his food, and in the regulation of his physical powers, 1st. By the constitution of his system, and, 2ndly. By the effects which invariably follow unlawful indulgence. In the present chapter it is intended to consider some of the more prominent effects of intemperance, and, in particular, such as arise from the use of alcoholic liquors. "of drinking wine or other diffusible stimulants, particularly to the young, is not so much in its immediate effects on health, as in the danger of creating an artificial thirst for wine or other stimulants; that is, a thirst which is not expressive of any real want of the constitution, but on the contrary, is the most decisive proof that the want does not exist." Let every young man then beware that he does not acquire a love for wine; for if he should, he may be assured that his constitution has received a wound, which in its consequences may be fatal. It is true, that his health may not have sensibly suffered; but the healthy relations of his system have |been deranged, and the harmony between its desires and its wants (one of the most infallible signs of a sound constitution) destroyed; and as in a great majority of cases, mankind will listen to the urgent language of their II. Intemperance destroys the healthy re- feelings, rather than to abstract considerations, lations of the system. The object of food in what concerns their animal wants, a founis to supply the system with nutriment; in dation is laid in the loss of this natural other words, to restore the waste of matter relation for the ruin of thousands. Scarcely to which the human frame is, under all cir- any more fruitful source of ruin exists cumstances, liable. Want of food depresses among the human race, than the loss of the or exhansts the animal powers. A judicious correspondence and harmony established by supply of nutriment produces invigoration nature between the wants and the real neand strength. An harmonious balance of cessities of the system, and its feelings and the animal powers constitutes health. Health, language.* in a great measure, depends on a proper III. Intemperance diminishes and finally supply of food. In this we are principally destroys the vital power; that property regulated by a feeling called appetite, a possessed by the human frame which term which is used simply to express the may be denominated the self-preserving present requirements of the system. Hunger power of nature. The vital power is that and thirst are sensations common to all. mysterious influence which pervades all In the gratification of these feelings it is of living matter, imparting life, vigor, and the highest importance that the human animation in addition to the power of sussystem be free from all false and unnatural taining existence for a limited period. It impressions. Nature, however, instructed sustains man through extraordinary physical by the wisdom of her Divine Author, has exertion, and endows his constitution with provided against this danger. Solid food the power to resist, to a certain extent, the has been furnished us in grateful variety. effects of excessive heat or cold, labour and Liquid food, as a necessary diluent of the fatigue. man. former, has been given to us in one variety Man is peculiarly subject to the vicissitudes only. Water is the grand liquid of nature, of climate and of seasons. Business or and is universally acknowledged to be best pleasure may direct him to countries, the fitted to relieve the system of that state of climates of which are either in the extremes which thirst is the admonitory symptom. No of heat or cold. In his own or foreign other liquid is necessary for the health of lands he may be exposed to sudden imIn proportion as we abandon the use pressions arising from the changes of the of this admirable gift of creation, and resort seasons. All of these vicissitudes the vital to artificial compounds, do we depart from power enables him to sustain with comthe obvious dictates of nature, and increase parative impunity, provided he has not the probability of injurious consequences. exhausted its influence by intemperate habits. It is dangerous to admit articles into di- The same power, in a healthy condition, etetic use which are notdistinctly beneficial preserves him from the injurious influence in restoring the natural waste of the system, of Marsh Miasma, or poisonous vegetable exand therefore cannot be denominated other- halations, and other noxious effluvia, to the wise than articles of luxury. Alcohol, tobacco, dangers of which most persons are more or and substances of a similar nature, in comless subject. aon use, do not come under the denomination f nutritive substances. They produce more tice of Medicine, Dartmouth College, America. * Dr. Oliver, Professor of the Theory and Prac |