ALCOHOL: ITS POWER.

FOR the right use of any agent, a knowledge of its power is quite essential, in order that its working may be duly regulated according to the effect which we desire to produce.

Let us consider the power of alcohol somewhat in detail, although this may involve some repetition of former statements.

I. The power of alcohol as a poison.-This is great, as we have seen. In a large dose it may prove instantly fatal, as if by shock; or the victim may linger a while, dying by choking and stupor. With a less dose one may be in great danger, yet recover; carrying for many a day the traces of his injury. In a less dose still, alcohol produces what is commonly called "intoxication ;" and if this be frequently repeated, mind and body both suffer sad change the poison acting chiefly on the brain and nervous system. From this cause, life may at any be imperilled by the invasion of active disease-organic or functional inflammation of the brain or its membranes, apoplexy, congestion, delirium tremens, insanity, epilepsy. Or, by still smaller doses, a cumulative action

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may be produced, ultimately developing itself in entire prostration of the nervous system-alcoholismus chronicus -a condition very analogous to founder in the horse, though proceeding from a different cause.* Or, once more, by somewhat diminishing the frequent dose, these seemingly greater evils may be avoided, while yet the whole frame is being sapped and undermined; not an organ or a tissue left undisturbed in its structure or function.

In other words, alcohol, according to its dose, and the susceptibility of its victim, is either acute or chronic in its working; a sudden poison, or a slow one.

"A madman casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, and saith, ‘Am not I in sport?" And there is many a man -virtually mad, on at least one point-a monomaniacwho daily saturates himself with this poison, and seeks moreover to scatter and inject it into others - jestingly announcing, in the midst of an uncomfortable conviction that what he says is true, that if it be a poison, as the doctors allege, it is at least a slow one. Slow it may be, yet sure.

From this we learn, that if a man design to commit murder, he cannot use a more certain agent than alcohol; and that, if bent on suicide, he will find it equally effectual. But if he wish to be free from blood-guiltiness, in regard to both himself and others, he will refrain from

*In my young days of horsemanship, it was an invariable caution given as we started merrily from the door "See that you don't over ride the beast, and be sure not to give it too much water when it's warm." The alcohol-founder in man has seldom any connection with either water or overwork.

the use of this agent, in such amount and manner as are invariably-sooner or later-productive of the poisonous result.

II. The power of alcohol as a medicine.-This, too, is great; and, in accordance with its strength, requires most skilful management.

It is a narcotic, we have seen, with preliminary stimulant power. And it is this stimulant action which is usually employed in medicine. If we wish to keep a part constantly cold, great care and nicety are required in managing the frigorific application-say a cold cloth -lest, through inattention, it become hot, and so induce the very opposite result to that which is desired. with alcohol, the stimulant action needs a constant and careful watching, lest, by overdose and overaction, it pass on into the second or sedative stage. Often, no doubt, a small amount of the narcotic effect would seem to be of use in modifying the stimulant, and so giving tone, as it were, as well as action, to the organ or system worked upon. But this requires nice handling..

The brain, and the nervous system in general, we have seen to be the parts chiefly acted on in the physiological working of alcohol. And, accordingly, the remedy, when properly used, is of special service in great nervous depression, by injury or disease; continued for hours, or for days. To oppose, when need is, the shock of injuryas in falls, blows, fractures, wounds, burns,* and to un

Let it be remembered, however, that in such emergencies it may be made to do the greatest harm, through its very success as a stimulant. A man gets stunned by a blow or fall, and is lying pale and

teract the sinking tendency in fevers and unhealthy inflammations, alcohol in small repeated doses is admirably efficient.

It stimulates the heart and general circulation, too; and, in some affections of that organ, feeble action may be helpfully supported by a judicious use of alcoholics. Caution, however, is greatly needed when the remedy comes to be repeated on many occasions, or long sustained in any one occasion, lest that peculiar diseased condition of the heart and arterial tissue be induced, which alcohol's continued presence in the blood so frequently occasions (page 35).

It stimulates the kidney, and so may act as a diuretic; and when other remedies are not at hand, or have already failed, it may be used either alone or in combination - unless contra-indicated by peculiarities of the

case.

When the powers of life are sinking, from any cause -with cold surface, feeble pulse, and general exhaustion-alcohol is often essential as a stimulant. The life of many a one has been saved by it. But all depends upon the regulation of the dose. Let the effect advance

senseless. A blood-vessel has been torn in his head, and if he lie in this languid state for some hours, nature will plaster up the rent; and there will be no escape of blood, when the patient gradually comes to himself again. But in meddlesome kindness, a stimulant is given prematurely-and, unfortunately, wine, whisky, brandy, are always at hand-the blood is made to circulate in force ere ever the rent is healed, blood escapes, apoplexy is produced, and the man dies, not of the hurt, but of the remedy. Even as a medicine, a'cohol needs the greatest care. Not only is there a time for everything: time is everything.

to the narcotic or sedative stage, and death will be has tened in consequence. The small doses, skilfully regu lated and repeated, and the effect of each watched by some competent eye and hand, alone can be either serviceable or safe.

In one case, a large dose may be used medicinally. In cramp, especially of a vital part, there may be no other narcotic by; and, to save life, it may be needful to give such an alcoholic dose as shall attain the narcotic or sedative result. If the ordinary medicine-chest be at hand, however, there is more than one anti-spasmodic infinitely to be preferred.

In smaller doses it is a carminative; and it enters into the construction of most of the fluids of that class -the warm tinctures, for example. For colic and flatulency, accordingly, it may answer well-provided there be no inflammatory complication, or error in diagnosis.

In dyspeptics of a certain class, in whom the stomach is deficient in tone and energy, small and cautious doses of the milder alcoholics-such as wine and malt liquors

may be of service. And when such defect is the result of natural formation, all but congenital, the use of such stimulus may require to be even long continued. But in all cases of accidental origin, the medication should be temporary - -means being devised and carried out for removing those causes on which the atony depends, and compensating by tonic remedies for the evil already done.

It is to such cases that the apestolic precept applies: "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy