Effect of Alcohol on Digestion.—It is a well-known fact that alcohol extracts water from tissues with which it is in contact. This fact works much harm to the interior surface of the food tube, especially the walls of the stomach, which in the case of a hard drinker are likely to become irritated and much toughened. In very small amounts alcohol stimulates the secretion of the salivary and gastric glands, and thus appears to aid in digestion.
The following results of experiments on dogs, published in the American Journal of Physiology, Vol. I, Professor Chittenden of Yale University gives as "strictly comparable," because "they were carried out in succession on the same day." They show that alcohol retards rather than aids in digestion:—
| Number of Experiment | 1/16 Lb. Meat With Water | 1/16 Lb. Meat With Dilute Alcohol | |
|---|---|---|---|
| XVII | α 9:15 A.M. | Digested in 3 hours | |
| XVII | β 3:00 P.M. | Digested in 3:15 hours | |
| XVIII | α 8:30 A.M. | Digested in 2:30 hours | |
| XVIII | β 2:10 P.M. | Digested in 3:00 hours | |
| XIX | α 9:00 A.M. | Digested in 2:30 hours | |
| XIX | β 2:30 P.M. | Digested in 3:00 hours | |
| XX | α 9:15 A.M. | Digested in 2:45 hours | |
| XX | β 2:30 P.M. | Digested in 2:15 hours | |
| VI | α 9:15 A.M. | Digested in 3:45 hours | |
| VI | β 1:00 P.M. | Digested in 3:15 hours | |
| Average | 2:42 hours | 3:09 hours | |
As a result of his experiments, Professor Chittenden remarks: "We believe that the results obtained justify the conclusion that gastric digestion as a whole is not materially modified by the introduction of alcoholic fluids with the food. In other words, the unquestionable acceleration of gastric secretion which follows the ingestion of alcoholic beverages is, as a rule, counterbalanced by the inhibitory effect of the alcoholic fluids upon the chemical process of gastric digestion, with perhaps at times a tendency towards preponderance of inhibitory action." Others have come to the same or stronger conclusions as to the undesirable action of alcohol on digestion, as a result of their own experiments.
Effect of Alcohol on the Liver.—The effect of heavy drinking upon the liver is graphically shown in the following table prepared by the Scientific Temperance Federation of Boston, Mass.:—
Proportion of deaths from disease in a certain area due to alcohol. The black area shows deaths due to alcohol.[44]
"Alcoholic indulgence stands almost if not altogether in the front rank of the enemies to be combated in the battle for health."—Professor William T. Sedgwick.
[42] The teacher should explain the meaning of these terms.
[43] It is known that glycogen may be formed in the body from protein, and possibly from fatty foods.