Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why: What Medical Writers SayAllen, Martha Meir
Science
Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why: What Medical Writers Say
Allen, Martha Meir
Alcohol -- Physiological effect; Temperance
The first day of alcohol gave an excess of 4 per cent., and the
last of 23 per cent.; and the mean of these two gives almost the
same percentage of excess as the mean of the six days.
Admitting that each beat of the heart was as strong during the
alcoholic period as in the water period (and it was really more
powerful), the heart on the last two days of alcohol was doing
one-fifth more work.
"Adopting the lowest estimate which has been given of the daily
work of the heart; viz. as equal to 12.2 tons lifted one foot,
the heart during the alcoholic period, did daily work excess
equal to lifting 15.8 tons one foot, and in the last two days
did extra work to the amount of 24 tons lifted as far.
"The period of rest for the heart was shortened, though,
perhaps, not to such an extent as would be inferred from the
number of beats, for each contraction was sooner over. The
heart, on the fifth and sixth days after alcohol was left off,
and, apparently at the time when the last traces of alcohol were
eliminated, showed in the sphygmographic tracing signs of
unusual feebleness; and, perhaps, in consequence of this, when
the brandy quickened the heart again, the tracings showed a more
rapid contraction of the ventricles, but less power than in the
alcoholic period. The brandy acted, in fact, on a heart whose
nutrition had not been perfectly restored."
Richardson quotes these experiments of Parkes and Wollowicz as if he
agrees with them that increased heart-beat must of necessity mean
increased work done by the heart. Dr. Nathan S. Davis, Dr. Newell
Martin, Dr. A. B. Palmer, and some other investigators, show
conclusively that mere increased frequency of beat above the natural
standard is no evidence of increased force or efficiency in the
circulation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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