THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.

White Ribbon, Volume 12, Issue 139, 15 December 1906, Page 3

THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.

Hr Mihs Roberts

(UoN riNUKD.) ALCOHOL AND THE BLOOD.

The process*** of repair and waste are constantly going on in the body. Every notion or movement of the body, every impulse of the mind, uses up seme cell matter, which must then l»e passed from the body as waste. New cells to repair that waste must lie built up from the food we eat, after the process of digestion is accomplished This process of waste and repair is called “ metabolism/’ (from a Greek word signifying “ 1 throw to ar.d fro ” or “ change ”) The blood is the great circulating market of the body, in which all the things which are wanted by ad the parts, by the muscles, the brain, the akin, the lungs, liver, kidneys, etc., are taken and given. vV hat the muscles want, they take from the blood ; what they have done with, they give back to the Mood ; and so with every otcer organ and part. As long as life last*, this giving and taking is forever going on, and this is why the blood is forever on the move, sweeping swiftly from place to plate, bringing to each part the thing it wants, and carrying away those with which it has done. When the blood ceases to move, the market is blocked, the giving and taking cease, and all the organs die, starved for lack of the things they want, choked by the abundance of the things for which they have n »longer any need Fresh blood is, to the unassisted eye, a red opaque liquid, showing no sign of being made up of different parts, but when examined by a microscope it is seen to consist of a liquid which is oolourless and watery looking. Floating in this liquid are countless multitudes of extremely minute solid bodies known a* blood corpueoles. They an* red and white. The rod corpuscles give the blood its colour ; they are so tiny that about five millions of them are contained in one drop of blood. The white corpuscles are a little larger than the red. but much less numerous (about 1 to 600) and they are able to change their shape Watched with a microscope the white corpuscle may l»e seen to slowly alter its form or oven to creep across the glass. These red and white corpuscles are little, mdejiendently moving cells which live in our blood, and each has different but equally important functions to perform. Every red corpuscle has the Power ol Combining' with Oxygen

where that gas is plentiful, and of giving it off again in a region where oxygen is absent, or present only in small quantities. So as the blood tlows through the lungs which are, or should be, constantly supplied with fresh air, these corpuscles take up oxygen, which is carried by them to every part ok the body, and then given up to the tissues, and on their return journey these wonderful carriers f’ck up the waste, or used-up material, and carry it to the lungs to he thrown off and replaced again by a fresh supply of uxygeu. This is the great function of ths rsd corpuscle. The action of the white corpuscle is equally marvellous. A certain number of

harmful bacteria, or gtorins, is sure to get into our blood in divers ways, at various times, and the power to destroy these germs of disease rests largely with the white corpuscle If any part of the body is wounded, or * die ease germ lodges anywhere, these wonderful cells can la* seen crowding up to the part in great numbers. Some of the bacteria they eat up bodily, others are killed, probably by substances produced by the corpuscles, and thus these little soldiers, by attacking and destroying the disease germs which may Mud entrance into our system, save us, times without number, from attacks of various illnesses.

When the blood is not rich in l>oth kinds of corpuscles or, as we say, when the blood is poor, which it may be from various causes, and the invasion of disease germs very extensive. the person contracts disease. The battle goes fiercely on, the valiant corpuscles fighting To Destroy the Poisonous Germs, and if they succeed the patient recovers. When the disease germs triumph, death ensues. Now a blood corpuscle, either red or white, cannot come into coutact with an atom of alcohol without having its power diminished to perform its function efficiently The effect of alcohol upon these little carriers and soldiers of the blood is to harden and shrivel them, and where much alcohol is present many of them liecome quite incapable of doing any work at all—the ied corpuscles are not able to take up and carry as much oxygen, nor are they so well abie U, take up and convey away the waste aud p dsonous matters which it is their duty to remove. Consequently a man who drinks alcoholic beverages cannot have a-> pure and clean blood as he would have if lie were an abstainer; while, if he receives a wound or injury, he is likely to develope all kinds of infiainatory troubles owing to the presence of these un re moved impurities. The white corpuscles, too, have l>een deprived of the power to perform their duties perfectly, and so many a drinking man, who is not at all a drunkard, goes off Like the Snuff of a Candle. when he contracts disease or sustains an injury. He has, by bis diinking habits, depn ved these marvellous agents of their power to preserve his lardy from disease, or to defend him from its effects if attacked or injure J. Hence, when alcohol is administered in sickness, the cells are injured in the i il! perform ance of their duty of taking up food for the building up of tissue, and, as a consequence, the patient's body is really rubbed ot nourishment by the agent which is supposed to la* “keeping up his strength.” Truly, “ Wine is a mocker, s’rong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” THE HEART AND ALCOHOL. Many people believeth&t alcohol strengthens the heart, Experiments have proved conclusively that the beat of the heart is increased with the amt >unt of alcohol tak»*n, and they also prove, as conclusively, that when the last tiaces of alcohol have disappeared, the heart lieats with unusual feebleness. The doctors who first conducted the experiments relating to the action of alcohol on the heart, found that moderate doses of alcohol

increased the number of the contractions of the heart from three to °ix beats per minute more than was natural, and they could easily estimate the number of additional contractions in twenty-four hours, and thereby demonstrate a large amount of increased work done by the heart under the influence of alcohol. Note particularly, that the work of the heart is here estimated by the number of its beats. Later investigators claim that alcohol diminishes the actual work done by the heart, and they base their estimate uj>on the amount of blood the heart passes through its cavities into the arteries, in a given time. This is fcht office and function of the heart, to aid in circulating the blood ; but all who took th\» basis of work found that alcohol, in any dose, diminished the efficiency of the heart iu cir culatiug the blood, in exact proportion to the amount taken. I>r. Davis, a profound physiologist of America and who has done for his country what Dr. Richardson did for England, says:— “ Every experienced praetitiouer knows that the weaker the heart becomes, the faster it l>eats, so the number of times the heart contracts per minute is no measure of the efficiency of its work in circulating the blood. There should be time enough between each of its beats for its cavities to till or it is made to contract upon an insufficient supply of blood.” If the rapidity of the heart’s contractions is increased materially ami continuously, exhaustion of the heart-muscle takes place, producing a partial change of the muscular tis ue into fat. The heart then becomes tiabby and wink, and its walls become thinner. This condition is known as “ fatty heart ” cr fatty degeneration of the heart, and often results in sudden death. All through our bodies the How of the blood is regulated ,ind controlled by self-acting muscular tissu* in the walls of the veins. Alcohol, in exact proportion to the dose taken. Paralyses this Wonderful Mechanism, and the veins, practically losing the power of contraction, become distended, allowing large quantities of blood to give off a great deal of reserve heat hence many men, having imbibed freely of alcoh* 1, perish from exposure to cold which they could have endured w ithout injury and with little inconvei ienoe if their bodies had been perfectly free o this drug. ALCOHOL AS MEHICINE. Time does n« >t permit itn to go into more detail; suffice it to say that every organ in the body, brain, liver, kidneys, muscles, nerves, all suffer from the action of alcohol, which the body is always struggling to throw off, for it cannot change or assimilate it, and as we come to know more exactly the evil effect alcohol has upon the vital processes of the body, we shall lie able to more fully realise the criminal wickedness of administering it to sick people, who, of all people, should have these vital processes fostered and promoted, not weakened and retarded That doctors at the present time, are steadily coming to regard alcohol not only as useless, but as absolutely dangerous in connection with sickness, is a fact that temperance people will gladly welcome. Dr. J. Johnson, of Boston Infirmary, declared last Novondier, that alcohol aggravates every surgical operation,

anu is a chief retarder of the patient’s recovery, that abstainers stand the shock letter, and rocover quicker than drinkers. After condemning the use of alcohol in infectious diseases, tin the authority of Dr. Pearce Gould, Dr. Johnson says it is equally s bad and unnecessary in ordinary diseases, and concludes thus:—“ Medical men are recognising the fact that a sick man has no more need of alcohol than a healthy one, and that their work of assisting nature to a return to normal life and health is injured, vnd not helped, by alcohol.’ It is surely time that the real nature of alcohol should l»e proclaimed by divorcing it from its Folse and Misleading Names of “ stimulant,” “ restorative,” '* strengthener,” and substituting its true titles of “ sedative,” narcotic,” “ weakener,” “ paralyser,” hinderer oF human energy and health Great numbers of eminent doctors in all civilised countries are taking up this position, and ho the last stronghold which this enemy of the human nice has retreated into, is being stormed, and God hasten the day of its speedy downfall. But in connection with this grand advance of science, a great duty and responsibility devolves upon us. It is for us to proclaim it. It is the saddest of sad things to meet so many young mothers possessed with the most absolute belief in the strengthening properties of alcohol —their devotion to it as a medic.ne is appalling. Our Unions should earnesllv consult as to the most effective way to make tt is splendid knowledge general and w ide-spread, but above all we must get this scientific temjierance teaching into our schools from the highest to the lowest. Other nations are awake to the importance of this work, and in this matter the United States lead the world. For twenty-five years that splendid woman, Mrs Mary Hunt, who passed to eternal life last April, devoted herself and her magnificent abilities to this noble work, and lived to see her work crowned with Complete success. The first Temperance Education law was enacted in 1882, and 1904 saw the last State fall into line, and 221,000,000 children now receive temperance instruction. That this teaching is already bearing fruit is shown by the fact that while the gain in the consumption of alcohol in the ten years from 1883 to 1893 was 40 per cent., in the ten following years, from 1893 to 1903, it was only 9 per cent, despite tie* fact that during that period from 1893 to 1903 no less than I,UU),UOO iin migrant* arrived, most of whom brought with them the European wine and lieer-d:ink-ing habits, while the systematic study of physiology, hygiene, and temjierance has led to more intelligent interest in sanitary problems, and during the decade ending 1900 the average length of life in the United States increased by four years. (’anada has temperance education laws in maritime provinces, and temperance instruction by order of the Minister of Education in other provinces. In 1900 nearly 200,000 children in the public schools were receiving the instruction France, Prussia, Belgium, Hungary, Kou-A mania and Finland require temperance f education in the public schools by order of their Ministers of Education, but not iu every case concerning the danger of fermented drinks. Denmark, Holland, and

Switzerland do not require temperance instruction, but it is tfiren by any of the abstaining teachers. Sweden has a law requiring instruction concerning the effects of alcoholic drinks. Chili has a temperance education law similar to that of the United States.

Mexico has temperance education in some public schools by order of local school authorities.

Australia has competitive public schools temperance examinations permitted by the Educational Department. Japan, India, China, Burmih, Spain, Bulgaria, are beginning such instruction, through the efforts of tenijieranee and Church missionaries in the Mission schools

Croat Britain and Ireland require teinperance instruction in the Army schools. Band of Hope scientific lecturers reach annually with one or two lectures al>out l U,(KMI of the 8,(00,000 pupils in the schools.

Close on 15,000 British Physicians

signed a petition in 1904, which was presented by an influential deputation to the Minister of Education, asking for compulsory instruction of all pupils in the public schools, at an early in the laws of health, and the nature and effects of alcoholic drinks.

The answer to that petition was a definite refusal to allow hygiene and temjierance to form a parr of the school syllabus ; but that Government has gone out of power, and one has taken its place very much more sympathetic with tlie temperance movement. In the meantime the friends of this reform are not idle, and an effort is being made to bring out a series of temperance school books based on the lines adopt 'd by the United States. In New Zealand many of our workers and leaders are fully alive to the importance of this reform, hut until lately the I’abinet was too hostile to lie approached, the fear l»eing that liooks might be introduced into the schools giving wrong views. With our present Minister of Education the way seems plainer. Could we have a good book, or books, published in England, at a moderate price, it might lie possible to obtain for our children the priceless blessing of a sound education in the nature and effects of alcohol, and it is on this foundation that the Success of our No License Work must ultimately depend, for a nation w**U instructed in the deadly effects of alcohol on health, life, and offspring, will never, for any pecuniary benefit whatever, license its sale or tolerate its presence. With deep thankfulness to God for the wonderful way in which He has led us hitherto, and rejoicing in the light of knowledge now spreading in all lands, may we, with strong courage and cheerful hope, look gladly forward to that day when the tyranny of the liquor traffic and the evil of aicohol shall for ever be done away with.