Thus, then, the master tissues become crippled. At first alcohol may have a stimulating effect on the nervous system; next, if the indulgence be continued, the nervous forces become exalted; finally, however, depression sets in, and proves at last a complete extinguisher of the intellectual faculties.
The muscles first lose the power of coördination, the irritability and tension gradually cease, at length they refuse to act.
The brain and muscles being helpless, the body lies in a state of stupor, motionless. The individual is temporarily deprived of his mental faculties, incapacitated, and completely oblivious to all his surroundings. The involuntary organs, however, may act. The stomach may eject its contents, having lost consciousness and will power. The urine and feces may pass off involuntarily.
All organs have to suffer, but two more than all the rest—the liver and kidneys.
The function of the liver, as we have already seen, is the secretion of the bile. That organ has still another important duty to perform, and that is in converting the starchy substances, or its already converted sugars, in to glycogen = C6 H10 O5. The metabolic activity of the hepatic cells lies in the formation of glycogene. Glycogene is a source of heat in the body. It is constantly present in the muscle, as a functional material no doubt. The chief purposes this substance serves are probably for respiration and production of animal heat.
We must bear in mind that fats are composed of C, H, and O, and that both fats and carbohydrates serve nutritive purposes. Whether any difference exists between the two we do not know at present, beyond the fact that in the final combination of the two, while carbohydrates require sufficient Oxygen only to combine with their Carbon, there being already sufficient Oxygen in the carbohydrate itself to form water with the Hydrogen, fats require in addition Oxygen to burn off some of their Hydrogen.
Alcohol is not convertible into glycogene. The six atoms of Carbon are complemented by five molecules of water: C6 + 5 O H2 = C6 H{10} O5. As already stated, alcohol (C6 H2 O) contains only one molecule of water (H2 O + C2 H4 ethane). To convert the four of Hydrogen into water, two of Oxygen are needed—and to form Carbonic acid three of Oxygen are wanting.
In this connection we may ask, Is alcohol a food? No! Alcohol is in no sense a food!
As a stimulant it is very useful, in a certain class of exhausting diseases, but taken in large quantities alcohol acts as a slow poison.
The action of the alcohol, which must pass through the liver, is certainly not beneficial. On the contrary, the function of the organ is interfered with and the tissues of which the liver is composed slowly but surely undergo a degenerative process.