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thoughts to any public business, nor give an habitual dram-drinker would be reaudiences beyond two or three of his own lieved by a disease in the throat, which domestics, though it were to save a kingdom. would, for a time, prevent his swallowing This did not proceed from any violence of any more liquor. The consequence would pain, but from a general languishing and be that his digestive powers would recover faintness of spirits which made him in those their tone, and after a few weeks, he would fits think nothing worth the trouble of one feel himself better. "The idea," says the careful, or solicitous thought. same writer, "that the gout is incurable, is Sir W. Temple was, on one occasion, the a false, and a very dangerous doctrine; this subject of this bodily affliction. Experience is very far from being the case, and I am and observation led him to these conclusions: firmly persuaded, not only from the nature "The gout is a companion that ought to be of the disease, but from experience, that it treated like an enemy, and by no means like may always be cured, if taken in time, a friend. It grows troublesome, chiefly, with and proper directions be followed.” “If, good usage; and this was confirmed to me by the cure of the gout, be meant the by considering that it haunted usually the administration of some pill, some powder, easie and the rich, the nice and the lazy, or some potion, which shall drive away the who grow to endure much, because they can complaint, I firmly believe that it never was, endure little; that make much of it as soon | por ever will be, cured. Indeed, it is asas it comes, and yet leave not making much tonishing that such an idea should have ever of themselves too : that take care to carry entered the mind of any person, who has it presently to bed, and keep it safe and any knowledge of nature, or particularly of warm, and indeed lay up the gout for two or the human frame; for if the gout be a disthree months, while they give out that the ease of indirect debility, and the effect of gout lays up them. On t'other side, it intemperance, as will be shown by and by, hardly approaches the rough and the poor, then a medicine to cure it must be something such as labour for meat, and eat only for to enable a man to bear the daily effects of hunger; that drink water, either pure or intemperance, during his future life, unhurt but discoloured with malt; that know no by the gout, or any other disease; that is, it use of wine, but for a cordial. Let the must be something given now, that will take disease be new or old, and the remedies away the effects of a future cause: as well either of common or foreign growth, there might a medicine be given to prevent a man is one ingredient of absolute necessity in all breaking his leg or his arm, seven years cases: for whoever thinks of curing the hence." "A rational physician would advise gout without great temperance, had better a person, recovering from the gout, to abstain resolve to endure it with patience." He totally and entirely from the course of life then relates the case of Atticus, who, weary which brought it on: and this being comof his life, as well as his physicians, by long plied with, we might venture to predict, and cruel pains of a dropsical gout, and, with as much certainty in the one case as in despairing of any cure, resolved by degrees the other, that he would in future escape it." to starve himself to death, and went so far, Dr. Garnett then proceeds to give dietetic that the physicians found that he had ended and other directions, which, he affirms, if his disease instead of his life, and told him rigidly persevered in, will not only afford that to be well, there was nothing required relief in the fit, but will prevent its return on his part, but the resolution to live. with such violence, and, at last, totally Sir W. Temple further remarks, -" I have eradicate it, provided the constitution be not known so great cures, and so many, done, by completely exhausted, and almost every joint obstinate resolutions of drinking no wine at stiffened with calcareous concretions. "The all, that I put more weight upon the part whole secret consists in abstaining, in toto, of temperance, than any other. And I from alcohol, in every form, however disdoubt very much whether the great increase guised, or however diluted. He must not of that disease in England, within these take it, either in the form of liqueurs, cortwenty years, (Sir Willlam's Essay bears dials, wine, or even small beer. I believe date, June, 1677) may not have been oc- there never was an instance of a person casioned by the custom of so much wine having the gout, who totally abstained from introduced into our constant and common every form of alcohol, however he might tables; for this use may be more pernicious live, in other respects; and I doubt very to health than that of taverns and debauches, much if ever the gout returned after a peraccording to the old stile, which were but by son had abstained from fermented or spiritfits, and upon set or casual encounters."* uous liquors for two years."

Dr. Garnett's remarks on the nature and Temperance in eating, and exercise, are cure of this disease are equally pungent and no doubt, powerful auxiliaries and tend very conclusive. He very properly exposes the much to promote health; but still they will popular error that gout is a salutary com- not secure a person from a return of the plaint. He remarks that it restores health gout, without this precaution. There seems in no other way than the indigestion of something in alcohol, which particularly

Essay on the Gout. Miscellanea, Part 1.

brings on this state of the constitution, and without it, it would seem that gout could

not be produced. Here, then, is an effectual teen years, and then began to take small method of curing the gout." And, again, beer, mixed with water, occasionally, or wine after some directions as to diet, he concludes: and water, or perry and water, or cyder and "The grand secret, in the cure, as has been water; by which indulgence, after a few already observed, but which cannot be too months, he had again a paroxysm of the often inculcated, is to abstain, IN TOTO, gout, which continued about three days in from every thing that contains alcohol." the ball of his toe, which occasioned him to Dr. Darwin remarks, "in respect to the return to his habit of drinking water, and he pre-remote cause or disposition to the gout, has now, for above twenty years, kept in there can be no doubt of its individually arising perpetual health, except accidental colds from the potation of fermented, or spirituous from the changes of the seasons. Before he liquors in this country. I have seen some, abstained from fermented, or spirituous liand have heard of others, who have modera- quors, he was frequently subject to the piles, ted their paroxysms of gout, by diminishing and to the gravel, neither of which he has the quantity of fermented liquors, which since experienced."*

they had been accustomed to; and others,| XIII. The organs of the senses and their who, by a total abstinence from fermented functions.-These organs are each more or liquors, have entirely freed themselves from less influenced by intemperance. Stammerthis excruciating malady, which, otherwise, ing, a common result of intoxication, is grows with our years, and curtails, or ren- produced by a disordered state of the brain ders miserable, the latter half, or third, of and nervous system. The action of the the lives of those who are subject to it." muscles employed in speech, of course deDr. Darwin then adduces the following pends on the brain, the grand centre of opinion of the great Sydenham, who saw the sensation. The lingual nerves on which the beneficial effects of abstinence from fermented action of the tongue depends, are under the liquors, in preventing the gout. "If an influence of partial paralysis. empiric could give small-beer only, to gouty The body, in a state of intoxication, patients, as a nostrum, and persuade them manifests remarkable insensibility to pain not to drink any other spirituous fluids, he and external impressions. This doubtless might rescue thousands from this disease, and depends on partial paralysis of the nervous acquire a fortune for his ingenuity." Yet, system, which extends to the filaments remarks Dr. Darwin, it is to be lamented, which ramify on every tissue, and in their that this accurate observer of diseases had natural state render the body sensible to not resolution to practice his own prescrip- pain and other impressions. Wounds and tion, and thus to have set an example to the bruises of the most serious description, are world of the truth of his doctrine. On the often inflicted during a state of inebriation, contrary, he recommended Madeira, the without the most trifling exhibition of feelstrongest wine in common use, to be taken ing, and often without recollection. These in the fits of the gout, to the detriment of cases frequently occur among seamen. Dr. thousands, and is said himself to have Trotter relates the case of a sailor belonging perished a martyr to the disease which he to a king's ship, in which he at that time knew how to subdue !* served, who, while drunk, quarrelled with Dr. Darwin then relates the following his wife, and, in the fury of his passion, narrative of his own experience: "E. D. siezed a butcher's cleaver, and cut off two was about forty years of age, when he was of his fingers by the root. The wounds siezed with a fit of the gout. The ball of were dressed and the man put to bed. his right great toe was very painful, and When he awoke in the morning, he had no much swelled and inflamed, which continued remembrance of the circumstance; showed five or six days, in spite of venesection, a the utmost contrition, and wept like a child brisk cathartic, with ten grains of calomel, for his misfortune, when he was told that and the application of cold air and cold he done it himself.† water to his foot. He then ceased to drink A vitiated condition of the nervous fluid, dle or wine alone, confining himself to small- doubtless results from continued intemperbeer, or wine diluted with about thrice its ance, accompanied with corresponding dequantity of water. In about a year, he fect in all those functions which depend on suffered two other fits of the gout, in less its purity and strength. violent degree. He then totally abstained The gustatory branches of the lingual from all fermented liquors, not even tasting nerves are also injured by intemperance, so small-beer, or a drop of any kind of wine, that the utterance not only becomes thick but ate plentifully of flesh-meat, and all and indistinct, but the sense of taste bekinds of vegetables, and fruit, using for his comes depraved, and in progress of time drink at meals, chiefly water alone, or entirely lost. lemonade, or cream-water; and tea and coffee between them as usual. By this abstinence from fermented liquors, he kept quite free from the gout for fifteen or six

* Zoonomia, vol. IV. p. 205.

Tenderness and redness of the nostrils are common effects of drunkenness. The highly sensitive membrane of the nostrils is a con

* Zoonomia, vol. IV. p. 205.
Essay on Drunkenness, p. 62,

tinuation of the mucous or lining coat of interesting observations on this subject. the stomach and æsophagus. This fact ex-" Fermented liquors are injurious to the plains its irritated condition in drunkards, teeth, in proportion to the quantity and and the loss of smell which necessarily quality of the liquor which is used. Pe sons follows continued unnatural excitement of who are in the daily practice of drinking a the schneiderian membrane.

quantity of wine, are rendered more subject Drunkards are often subject to ringing to the accumulation of that earthy substance, in the ears, a peculiarly unpleasant sensation. which by the dentists is called tartar. The This is caused by the increased action of the formation of this substance upon the teeth, vessels within the head, and in particular of destroys that agreeable expression of the the carotid arteries, which circulate imme- countenance which proceeds from clean diately adjacent to the auditory organs. teeth, it renders the breath tainted, and, as The organs of sight are much injured by a constant effect of its accumulation is to the use of strong drink. Inflammation of detach the gums from the teeth, they bethe eyes, sometimes acute, but most fre- come weakened in the sockets, they get quently chronic, is a characteristic badge of loose, and eventually drop out. When intemperance. Solomon asks, "who hath people have habituated themselves to the redness of eyes?" and then informs us, that use of spirituous liquors, the injurious this disorder afflicts those who "tarry long at effects upon the teeth are more apparent. the wine, and go to seek mixed wine."* The The teeth acquire a very stained and foul excited circulation of blood is well seen in appearance; the gums being more or less the eyes of the drunkard. The vessels of inflamed, are covered with a slimy mucus, the tunica adnata, or white membrane which and are often liable to bleed: the breath covers these delicate organs, are turgid and also becomes very offensive. And as the red, which conditions, by continued intemper- regular passing of the spirituous liquors over ance, often end in confirmed inflammation, ac- the tender skin of the mouth, creates a companied with pain and intolerance of light. constant degree of inflammation, the heat of Chronic inflammation is commonly attended the mouth is greatly increased. This state with increased secretion of the glands of the of the mouth is also kept up by the increased orbit; hence, the moist or watery eyes of heat of the stomach, and when, by the the drunkard. These changes inevitably debilitating effects of spirits upon that influence the delicacy of the retina. In organ, indigestion is produced, the teeth course of time, that portion of the tunic very rapidly fall into a state of decay: they which covers the cornea, loses its natural are acted upon constantly in the same clearness and transparency, and dimness of manner as in the course of a fever, when vision is the consequence. The specks also the heat of the constitution is greatly inon the eyes of drunkards, are the effects creased. Thus by the baneful influence of of inflammation.

intemperance, similar mischief to the teeth is induced, as might only be expected from a malady which threatens life."

Double vision often occurs during fits of intoxication. It probably arises from increased circulation in the brain, and the Mr. Fox informs us, that General Norton, consequent effects on the nerves which the Mohawk chief, who was in this country supply the organs of sight. All nerves are some years ago, was asked by a professional supplied with blood-vessels, and every un- gentleman concerning the state of the teeth natural impulse of blood is calculated to amongst the Indians. His reply was dederange their peculiar functions. False im- cisive.-"When the Indians are in their pressions may thus be conveyed to the own settlements, living upon the produce of brain. Dr. Macnish remarks, that the the chase and drinking water, their teeth refraction of light in the tears, which are always look clean and white: but when they secreted more copiously than usual during go into the United States, and get spirituous intoxication, may also assist in multiplying liquors, their teeth look dirty and yellow; objects to the eye.† and I have often heard that they were freXIV. The teeth and their functions.quently afflicted with the tooth-ache, and The intimate connection which subsists be- obliged to have their teeth drawn." tween the teeth and the digestive functions, Daily observation confirms the truth of explains the frequency of their decay among the above remarks. drunkards. The cleanliness of the teeth XV. Premature old age.-Time makes depends to a great extent on the nature of the rapid inroads on the constitution of the secretions of the mouth, and the healthy con- drunkard. A few months suffice to prodition of the mucous membrane which lines duce changes, the apparent result of anxious the mouth, æsophageal canal, stomach, and years. General signs of ill-health first intestines. Tooth-ache frequently arises present themselves,—the eyes want their from a disordered state of the stomach, and accustomed lustre, the skin loses its usual the tartar on the teeth has a similar origin. Mr. Fox, of Argyle Street, London, a very competent authority, makes the following

* Proverbs, Chapt. xxiii. v. 29-30. Anatomy of Drunkenness, p. 114.

Q

healthy and ruddy appearance, the cheeks lack their wonted plumpness and rotundity,

that vigor and elastic movement of the body is absent which constitutes one of the principal characteristics of health. Shak

speare well describes the effects of strong drink "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to in producing premature old age. The chief dust.' The bones in particular, and even justice thus addresses the bibulous Falstaff: many of the softer parts of the human "Do you set down your name in the scroll system, as for example, the brain, become of youth, that are written down old, with more hard, or in other words, more earthy all the characters of age? Have you not a in their nature. All of them indeed become moist eye, a dry hand, a yellow cheek, a slowly deprived of their vitality, until at white beard, a decreasing leg, an increasing last the functions cease to act, and death belly? Is not your voice broken, your wind ensues as a necessary consequence. Deshort, your chin double, your wit single, positions of calcareous or ossific matter in and every part about you blasted with drunkards, take place in the heart, bloodantiquity; and will you yet call yourself vessels, and even in the citadel of existence young? Fie, fie, fie, Sir John."* itself-the brain. Morgagni, as we have

In progress of time these effects become already seen, discovered in some brains a more and more marked. The eyes not only bony substance and gypseous concretions. lack their usual lustre of expression, but These deposits are found in numerous other become sunken and dead. The muscles of organs. Dr. Alison remarks, that "there is the cheek, as indeed those of the whole a peculiarity of constitution often resulting body, present an emaciated and shrivelled from habitual intemperance, which disposes appearance. The skin hangs loosely upon remarkably to chronic inflammation and a frame, the mere skeleton of its former ex- slow deposits of solid lymph in the lining istence; and the entire motions both of membrane of the heart and arteries, in the body and mind are those of individuals lungs, in the liver, and in the kidnies, often labouring under the last changes of debility to such affection of several or all these visand decay. cera in the same subject."*

The voluntary muscles of confirmed These earthly depositions sometimes take drunkards, not only lose their power of place at a remarkably early period, and exaction but cease to obey the will; decrepi-hibit a striking proof how, at a comparatively tude of mind accompanies decrepitude of juvenile age, intemperance effects changes in body—hence, their tottering and grotesque the system, which in temperate persons are movements. The same irregularity is also the result only of advanced life. My friend displayed in the nervous functions through- Mr. Stephens, of Manchester, lecturer on out. Convulsive twitchings-such as quiv-pathology, &c., who has an intimate and exering of the lip, and involuntary winking of tensive acquaintance with morbid anatomy, the eye, evidence the paralyzing influence of informs me, that he has almost invariably strong drink. The inflamed and ædematous found these earthy depositions in post morstate of the organs of sight, the bloated body, tem examinations of drunkards, in particular the dry and feverish hand-present still in the arteries and mitral valves of the further proofs of decay and dissolution. heart. In one case these organic changes Death at last makes its appearance, and were extensively manifest throughout the terminates the melancholy scene. The frame greater portion of the arterial system of a of the inebriate quickly mingles with its drunkard, whose age did not exceed twentymother earth.

The diseased deposits of drunkards exhibit perhaps the most characteristic evidence of premature old age. The body, in a state of health, to use the words of the eloquent Buffon, dies slowly and by degrees; life gradually becomes extinguished, and

five years. The marks of old age were present at a period when the body had scarcely attained to the full growth of manhood. This fact speaks volumes as to the evils of intemperance.

death is but the last term of this series of * System of Pract. Med., Vol. i. p. 72. Art. degrees, the last shade of life. Not so Inflammation.

with the drunkard. The progress of his

decline is rapid and by strides, rather than slow and by imperceptible degrees. Changes take place in his physical structure, at an early age, which in the sober and healthy only manifest themselves in the decline of advanced years. The various structures of the temperate slowly but progressively become impregnated with earthy or calcareous matter. It would seem as if the body of man was designed, not figuratively, but in truth, to approach in nature to that earth with which shortly it is to form an indissoluble union, a literal fulfilment indeed of those expressive words of our burial service,

*King Henry IV., Act i. Scene 2.

SECTION VI.

however, soon changes. The power of volition ceases its exercise. Folly, in its thousand forms makes its appearance. The

THE EFFECTS OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON THE revels of a distorted imagination, displace

BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM.

Ebrietas est voluntaria insania.-SENECA.

the ebullitions of genius or of wit. All control of the will aud judgement disappears, and a chaos of confused thought, disordered

"O! that men should put an enemy in their expression, and rash action, succeeds. Then mouths, to steal away their brains."

SHAKSPEARE.

supervenes the idiotic stare, the partial loss of voluntary motion, and the paralytic stupor of extreme intoxication.

Their feeble tongues,

Unable to take up the cumbrous word,
Lie quite dissolved. Before their maudlin eyes,
Seen dim and blue, the double tapers dance,
Like the sun wading through the misty sky.
THOMSON.

I. General view of the mental phenomena produced by inebriation.-II. Effects of increased circulation of the blood on the brain and nervous system,-III. Palsy, epilepsy, and apoplexy, produced by intemperance.-IV. Delirium tremens, or brain fever of drunkards.-V. Madness and idiocy, in England, Ireland, Scotland, America, and other parts, the results of intemperance. The morning, at last, makes its appearance. VI. Organic changes produced in the brain by The high state of febrile excitement, the intemperance. parched tongue, insatiate thirst, throbbing head, and extreme bodily lassitude which now ensue, render the returning day a state of horror and despair to the inebriate. poet well describes the pleasures and pains of intoxication ::

I. THE brain and its functions, rank above all other portions of the animal economy in importance. Its complicate and delicate structure, combined with its intimate connexion with the faculties of the mind, renders it a matter of peculiar necessity that it should be guarded from all such injury and improper excitement, as might tend to interfere with its exquisite harmony, or, in the slightest degree, derange the order of its healthful operations.

The

Elysium opens round,
A pleasing phrenzy buoys the lightened soul,
And sanguine hopes dispel your fleeting care;
And what was difficult, and what was dire,
Yields to your prowess and superior stars:
The happiest you of all that e'er were mad,
Or are, or shall be, could this folly last.
But soon your heaven is gone; a heavier gloom
Shuts o'er your head.

Morning comes; your cares return
With tenfold rage. An anxious stomach well
May be endured; so may the throbbing head:
But such a dim delirium, such a dream
Involves you; such a dastardly despair
Unmans your soul, as madd'ning Pentheus felt,
When, baited round Cithæron's cruel sides,
He saw two Suns and double Thebes ascend.
ARMSTRONG.

An investigation of this subject necessarily involves an inquiry into all the mental phenomena produced by the use of strong drink. Some of these phenomena have received specific consideration in previous sections. The pleasures of inebriation are unnatural and acquired. Intoxication, in whatever degree, is productive of disagreeable sensations to the unvitiated palate of the young. Even to those individuals, who, by long practice, are habituated to the use The melancholy of the drunkard is inof strong drink, the gratification which it timately associated with the disordered state affords is evanescent as the fleeting clouds. of the digestive functions, produced by Bishop Andrews describes the pleasure of alcoholic indulgence. A close connexion vinous indulgence, to be in that state when exists between the chylopoetic viscera, and a person is neither "drunken nor sober, but the brain. The rapturous joys of the evenneighbour to both." This, certainly, is the ings debauch, are succeeded in the morning period when the mental faculties most labour by extreme lassitude of mind and depression under the illusions of alcoholic excitation. of spirits. The world with its pleasures The imagination then soars to its utmost presents an unattractive void-all is dejeclimits, and the passions, unrestrained by the exercise of reflection, or uncurbed by the admonitions of conscience, burst the trammels of sedateness and order. It is at this stage of excitement that the mind is most liable to err. The bashfulness of immature judgment suddenly assumes the confidence of truth.

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tion and gloom. In this state the drunkard again flies to the cup of intoxication-the disease fastens upon him with renewed vigor, until at last confirmed hypochondriasis renders existence a state of indescribable torture and distress.

The modus operandi of intoxicating liquors on the brain and nervous system, has been discussed at length in previous sections. The effects of alcohol are decisive both as regards its direct influence on the nerves of the stomach, and thence by sympathetical conveyance to the cerebro-spinal centres, and its immediate contact, by absorption, with the important substance of the brain. The lover of strong drink may well pause when he reflects on the fact, that a portion of the

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