The agency of alcohol, as illustrated by accurate dissections : being an account of Professor Sewall's drawings of the stomach, exhibiting its state in health, and under the various stages of alcoholic excitement and disease.

Sewall, Thomas

Date:: [1843?]

Credit: The agency of alcohol, as illustrated by accurate dissections : being an account of Professor Sewall's drawings of the stomach, exhibiting its state in health, and under the various stages of alcoholic excitement and disease. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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$sufferer, hy cupping, blistering and other counter-irritation over tlio region of tlie stomach; by the use of cooling medicines.and vegetable diet. It is never- theless true, and should be ever borne in mind, that such is the suscei)tibility of the stomach of the reformed drunkard, that a repetition of the use of alcohol in the slightest degree^ and in any form, under any circumstances, or in any place, revives the aj)petite; the blood-vessels again become dilated, and the morbid sensibility of the organ is re-produced. Abstinence, therefore, total abstinence, at once and forever, must bo the pledge of him who moans to stand. Plate presents a view of the ulcerated or aphthous condition of the drunkard's stomach ; a state which frequently exists, but is not readily appre- hended on account of the obscurity of the attendant symptoms. It consists in numerous small ulcerations extending over the internal coat, aud which are usually covered with a white crust, producing the aphthous appearance. Upon wiping off the crust, the mucous surface is found broken and covered with small corroding sores, of greater or less size and depth, with ragged and inflamed edges; and sometimes the inflammation extends over the intervening spaces. Plate \_5'\ represents the state of the drunkard's stomach after a debauch. It was drawn from the case of one who had been for several days iu a state of inebriation, but who came to his death suddenly from another cause. It shews the internal coat of the organ to have been in a state of high inflammation, and presents several livid spots, with dark grumous blood oozing from the surface. I have had several opportunities of inspecting the stomach under similar circumstances, and I believe this plate presents about the ordinary appearance of the organ when excited to a state of inflammation by excessive indulgence in the use of alcoholic drinks. It has been remarked, that the symptoms attendant upon the ulcerated state of the stomach, and especially if unaccompanied by much inflammation, are often obscure, and such as not to denote much consti- tutional derangement. But in this condition of the organ the whole system suffers. There is loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, ardent thirst, pain in the head, red eyes, bloated face, coated or red tongue, frequent pulse and symp- tomatic fever. These symptoms are more or less intense, according to the duration of the debauch, the quantity of liquor drank; being modified in some degree, by the constitution and habits of the individual. They are, in some respects, such as attend the ordinaiy inflammation of the stomach, produced by other causes, and the appropriate treatment in both is found to be nearly the same. It consists in total abstinence from all stimulating drinks, general bleeding, cupping, leeching and blistering over the stomach, cooling and muci- laginous drinks, and general perspiration, with entire rest. The following case so fully confirms the principles here laid down, and at the same time furnishes so valuable an admonition, that I must beg leave to present you with the outlines of its history. A gentleman equally distinguished for the powers of his mind, and the groat influence which ho wielded in the counsels of the nation, unfortunately acquired in early life, the habit of intemperance; but it was not that intemperance which IS perpetual, it only came over him at distant periods, not oftener than once or twice in the year. In the intervals he practiced entire abstinence, while at these periods he wholly abandoned himself to his propensity, and would continue drinking until his stomach was wrought up to a high state of inflammation. I was called to attend him in at least twelve of these paroxysms, during us many years, and conducted him each time safely through tho'storm. It was done upon the ])rinciplo of withholding at once all stiniulus, and allowing the free use of iced water, with other cooling drinks, with cupping aud blistering over the stomach. In ten or twelve days ho was usually well and able to attend to his business, linfortuuatcly, in his last paroxysm, he came under the care off those who advised that he should not abandon his cup at once, but wind off his debauch by degrees. The advice was followed, and he fell a victim to the experiment. Ho Danger of tastiog. Plate 4. Ulcerated stomach of the drunftard. Plate 5. Drankard's stomacli afier a debauch. Symptoms of excessive drinking. Mode of cure. A warning case. I$