| i>Action on the stomach. | | | | Congestion of the lungs. |
| The action of alcohol on the stomach is | | | | Alcohol relaxes the vessels of the lungs easily as |
| extremely dangerous that it becomes unable to | | | | they are most exposed to the fluctuations of |
| produce the natural digestive fluid in sufficient | | | | heat and cold. When subjected to the effects of |
| quantity and also fails to absorb the food which it | | | | a rapid variation in atmospheric temperature, they |
| may imperfectly digest. A condition marked by | | | | get readily congested. During severe winter |
| the sense of nausea emptiness, prostration and | | | | seasons, the suddenly fatal congestions of lungs |
| distention will always be faced by an alcoholic. This | | | | easily affects an alcoholic.Similarly smoking has its |
| results in a loathing for food and is teased with a | | | | own impact on the lungs.One of the drugs used in |
| craving for more drink. Thus there is engendered | | | | quiting drugs is zyban. |
| a permanent disorder which is called dyspepsia. | | | | Alcohol weakens the heart. |
| The disastrous forms of confirmed indigestion | | | | Consumption of alcohol greatly affects the heart. |
| originate by this practice. | | | | The quality of the membraneous structures which |
| How the liver gets affected. | | | | cover and line the heart changes and are |
| The organic deteriorations caused by the | | | | thickened, become cartilaginous or calcareous. |
| continued use of alcohol are often of a fatal | | | | Then the valves lose their suppleness and what is |
| character. The organ which most frequently | | | | termed valvular disorder becomes permanent. |
| undergoes structural changes from alcohol, is the | | | | The structure of the the coats of the great |
| liver. Normally, the liver has the capacity to hold | | | | blood-vessel leading from the heart share in the |
| active substances in its cellular parts. In instances | | | | same changes of structure so that the vessel |
| of poisoning by various poisonous compounds, we | | | | loses its elasticity and its power to feed the heart |
| analyse liver as if it were the central depot of the | | | | by the recoil from its distention, after the heart, |
| foreign matter. It is practically the same in | | | | by its stroke, has filled it with blood. |
| respect to alcohol. The liver of an alcoholic is | | | | Again, the muscular structure of the heart fails |
| never free from the influence of alcohol and it is | | | | owing to degenerative changes in its tissue. The |
| too often saturated with it. The minute | | | | elements of the muscular fibre are replaced by |
| membranous or capsular structure of the liver | | | | fatty cells or, if not so replaced, are themselves |
| gets affected, preventing proper dialysis and free | | | | transferred into a modified muscular texture in |
| secretion. The liver becomes large due to the | | | | which the power of contraction is greatly reduced. |
| dilatation of its vessels, the surcharge of fluid | | | | Those who suffer from these organic |
| matter and the thickening of tissue. This follows | | | | deteriorations of the central and governing organ |
| contraction of membrane and shrinking of the | | | | of the circulation of the blood learn the fact so |
| whole organ in its cellular parts. Then the lower | | | | insidiously, it hardly breaks upon them until the |
| parts of the alcoholic becomes dropsical owing to | | | | mischief is far advanced. They are conscious of a |
| the obstruction offered to the returning blood by | | | | central failure of power from slight causes such |
| the veins. The structure of the liver may be | | | | as overexertion, trouble, broken rest or too long |
| charged with fatty cells and undergo what is | | | | abstinence from food. They feel what they call a |
| technically designated 'fatty liver'. | | | | 'sinking' but they know that wine or some other |
| How the Kidneys deteriorate. | | | | stimulant will at once relieve the sensation. Thus |
| The Kidneys also suffer due to the excessive | | | | they seek to relieve it until at last they discover |
| consumption of alcohol. The vessels of Kidneys | | | | that the remedy fails. The jaded, overworked, |
| lose elasticity and power of contraction. The | | | | faithful heart will bear no more. it has run its |
| minute structures in them go through fatty | | | | course and the governor of the blood-streams |
| modification. Albumin from the blood easily passes | | | | broken. The current either overflows into the |
| through their membranes. This results in the body | | | | tissues gradually damming up the courses or |
| losing its power as if it were being run out of | | | | under some slight shock or excess of motion |
| blood gradually. | | | | ceases wholly at the centre. |