Alcohol its place and power Author:James Miller Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: prussic acid, copper, or lead — taking little note of its evil effects, and taking no means to remove the adulteration ? Let us see. ALCOHOL AS A POISON. A... more »lcohol is a poison. In chemistry and physiology, this is its proper place. Many readers may receive this dogmatic assertion with a "Pooh, pooh"—" Fanaticism and folly"—"We know better." Let me support the assertion, therefore, by authority. " The sedative action of alcohol on the brain," says Christison—and we know no higher authority, either as regards poisons or the articles of the materia medica — " constitutes it a powerful narcotic poison. For its effects as such, if rapidly brought on by a large dose, there is no antidote known — the only efficacious treatment consisting of speedy evacuation of the stomach, and the employment of brisk external stimuli." Now let us inquire as to the effects of this formidable agent. Obviously, they will vary according to the age and condition of the recipient, and especially according to the manner and amount of the administration. I. Alcohol absolutely pure is seldom if ever taken internally. To make it at all tolerable to the stomach, it must be diluted; and the strongest brandy, whisky, or other " spirit," contains a large proportion of water— thirty, forty, or fifty per cent. But though thus modified, a large quantity in the adult, or a small quantity in the child, may prove rapidly fatal. It is almost at once absorbed by the veins of thestomach, and, mixing with the blood, is carried to all parts of the body, affecting certain of these very specially— namely, the nervous centres. These are paralyzed; the heart stops, and life ceases. A man quaffs a quart of brandy almost at a draught, tumbles down, and dies on the spot. The shock of the large dose of alcohol on his ne...« less