ALCOHOLOGY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 373, 26 April 1910, Page 3

ALCOHOLOGY.

ITS ACTION O.N THE BRAIN.

(Published bv Arrangement). Whilst it is evident that alcohol atfeets, and injuriously, too, every part of the human organism its most dangerous and more immediate attack is on the higher functions of the body—on the brain, the director and controller of the rest. W-hen an individual comes ; under this evil spirit, 'by taking it into the system, the first evil effect is seen in a loss of balance and self-control; this •beinsr often only noticeable by most intimate Wends or, if he be sufficiently self-possessed, by the .patient himself, and even bv them a measure of intoxication is frequently misinterpreted and called exhilaration or high spirits. lh« brain is the dominant organ of the whole body, for not only are all our mental powers dependent on its healthy activity, but even such vital functions as the beating of the heart and the movements of the chest to maintain healthy breathing are sustained by the activity of the brain. Only when the brain "is intact are the processes ot thinking, feeling and willing possible; only when the brain is .well nourished and free from poisons can these processes be accomplished in perfection. The brain has two main duties—to receive impressions or sensations from eyes, ears, nose, etc., and then to issue orders by nerves and muscles for the performance of the necessary operations. It is noteworthy, too, that alcohol first takes effect on those nerves that direct the more complicated and higher organised parts/and afterwards those directing the more automatic functions. It would be a waste of time and space to show that alcohol in what is commonly called excess interferes with proper brain functions; but what is asked is whether small quantities are in any way injurious: this is what modern science is carefully ;investigating, and, so far, the con elusions all point to the ill effects of small, and still smaller, doses. We are surounded by thousands of men and women who are indeed in an early stage of sub-acute alcoholism as exhibited by the quality and quantity of their mental power,'which is relatively feeble and inadequate because of the lowering effect of alcohol taken in what they deem small doses. In these people all aspects of their mind life suffer; their intelligence, their sentiments, their will power are all out of order; they become querulous, irritable and unreliable, according to their prevailing characteristics when they <io not see it, though their neighbors do. This generally proves to be a growing evil; even if it does not end in downright drunkenness. Now although alcohol is not usually taken in such laTge doses as to produce ■manifest drunkenness, yet it is a common practice for persons to take sufficient to depress their nervous systems in a serious 'way. Constant evidence of this is seen in the reaction and exhaustion following festivities and convivial opportunites of all sorts. It will be agreed that after a day devoted to holiday making and enjoyment, a man or a woman ought to wake up next morning feeling refreshed and invigorated; yet the very opposite too often occurs. Owing to* the alcohol imbibed overnight, the state of the nervous system next morning is one of exhaustion, the brain, and, in fact, the whole nervous system, being "below par." The researches or science, during the last twenty yean, into the effects of alcohol in moderate and small doses go to prove that any use is risky and it is hard to say how small the dose must be that does not do harm, and to lead the investigate* to the conclusion that as soon as enough alcohol is taken to produce any effect that effect is harmful. Old Dr, JohnSon had a wise remark on this: "This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts." It will be interesting at some future time to recite the interesting experiments in this direction made by such authorities as Kraepelin, Mci Dougall, Asehaffenburg, Overton and others all going to prove the contention that Dr. Koppe so well put: "The abuse (of alcohol) begins with the use.'