The disease of inebriety from alcohol, opium, and other narcotic drugs : its etiology, pathology, treatment and medico-legal relations / arranged and compiled by the American Association for the Study and Cure of Inebriety.

  • American Association for the Study and Cure of Inebriety.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The disease of inebriety from alcohol, opium, and other narcotic drugs : its etiology, pathology, treatment and medico-legal relations / arranged and compiled by the American Association for the Study and Cure of Inebriety. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    defects of the brain, vvliicli impair its functional capacity, we also have a long list of drugs, which, taken into the circu- lation, bring down the brain's capacity to a lower level. I need not go over the long list, nor point out the pecu- liarities of their actions, but at once mention alcohol as one of them. This agent, from its general use, brings down more brain capacity in the world—and it certainly does a great deal to produce the lapsed metnbers of civilized society. If it were not for the fact that alcohol has in the system a special effect upon nerve centers, particularly higli brain structure, men would never have used it as a beverage. In seeking and taking it tlie alcohol drinker is after its brain effect. The brain is the organ of thought and all conscious ac- tion. The partially hardened condition of its delicate struc- ture that alcoiiol produces, renders it less capable of cellular motion or action. Its conscious sensitiveness is lessened thereby. It is less able to feel. The alcoholized man there- fore says he feels better or feels good, and acknowl- edges that this kind of lowered sensitiveness is wliat he likes. He feels better if his brain feels less any discom- fort or pain he may have. Even in health, if he have no special discomfort, the benumbed condition is a more com- fortable one. Tiie well man therefore says he feels good. The luxury of alcohol drinking consists in this condition of the brain. I wish to draw attention to the fact, that in order to obtain the pleasant, comfortable condition of lowered sensi- tiveness, the alcohol drinker does not avoid or fail to have the alcohol effects on his brain—there is a general lowering of function. When the brain's ability to feel is lowered, its ability to think and to adjust conduct ethically are also lowered. The keenness of a liigh ethical sense is probably the first thing blunted. The disability of the alcohol drinker will vary accord- ing to the amount taken j according to the inherent strength