The psychology of alcoholism / by George B. Cutten.

  • George Barton Cutten
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The psychology of alcoholism / by George B. Cutten. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    begins near their peripheral distribution; the greatest alteration is noticed in the intra-muscular branches of the motor nerves.! Some have opined that the spinal alterations are due to the changes in the peripheral nerves, but it is probable that these are coincident affections. S. Martin has described the change as follows:—“ First at one or more spots on the nerve- fibre the medullary sheath disappears entirely, the remainder of the sheath above and below still staining with osmic acid: the axis-cylinder in the affected part becomes attenuated and finally ruptures. The part of the nerve-fibre between the rupture and the muscle now undergoes Wallerian degeneration.”? The changes in the neuron which have been mentioned are not all peculiar to alcoholism; they may be brought about by the continuous influence of many different toxic agents, but not all by any one. other agent.® 2. Changes in the Vascular Syste thee vascular lesions are very serious, and form a principal part of the trouble caused by alcoholic excess. “No single factor contributes so largely to disease of the blood vessels as much as the chronic use of alcohol poison.”* Especially well defined in the blood-vessels of the cortex is a wide-spreading hardening. and thickening of the arteries, known as arteriosclerosis, or atheromatous degeneration.® Here the vessels are 1H. D. Rolleston, 4 System of Medicine, Allbutt, vol. 111. p. 863. 2 Quoted by Rolleston, zdza. p. 863. Rol ete walt, Alcoholism,” Pons System of Practical Medicine, L. Thompson, vol. ili. p. 735. 4 A. E. Sterne, ‘‘ The Effects of Alcohol upon the Nervous System, the Mind, and Heredity,” Quarterly Journal of Inebriety, vol. xxv. p. 60. ° H. J. Berkley, ‘Studies on the Lesions produced by the Action of Certain Poisons on the Cortical Nerve Cells.—I. Alcohol,” razz, vol. xvill. p. 486; T. B. Hyslop, ‘‘ Alcoholic Insanity,” 4A Systene of Medicine, Allbutt, vol. ix. p. 323; A. R. Cushny, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, p. 133. In addition to the above references and others which might be given, W. H. Welch, ‘‘ Pathological Effects of Alcohol,” Phystological Aspects of the Liquor Problem, edited by J. S. Billings, vol. ii. pp. 368f., says, ‘Alcohol is usually regarded and probably correctly, as one of the causes of sclerosis or atheromatous
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