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?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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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    as nearly to Tho mucous and tending to tlio stoniacli,' and so involving tbo cardiac orifice, obliterate the opening and prevent tlie passage of food and drink, coat of the stomach exhibited strong traces of tho_ effects of intemperance, tho pyloric portion of the organ was found in a scirrhus state. . Plate [7]] represents the ajipearanco of the stomach of the drunkard who dies in a state of mania a potu, or delirium tremens. The history of the case from which this drawing was made, and which occurred in my practice some years since, will illustrate the character of tho disease, and the morbid condition of tho stomach. The subject was a man, amiable in disposition, courteous in manners, high in public life. By degrees ho became intemperate, and although he drank daily, his excessive indulgence was confined to paroxysms of greater or less duration. Several times during the continuance of these paroxysms, he was thrown into a state of delirium tremens, but from which he soon recovered. At length one of liis paroxysms of drinking came upon him, which was of longer continuance than usual, and of greater severity. For more than a week his mind was entirely deranged, and it required two persons to confine him to his room. He imagined that Ids nearest friends were his greatest enemies and persecutors, and were constantly laying plans for his destruction. He fancied that he saw spectres and devils, and files of armed soldiers entering his apartment, deadly serpents crawling over his bed, and wild beasts ready to devour him. There was one individual in particular, a certain man who had often won his money at the billiard table, whom he imagined he saw grinning and skulking round the chamber, waiting an ojijiortunity to rob him of his money. His bodily functions became more and more disturbed, accompanied with great debility; a cold, profuse, clammy sweat, and small and sinking pulse. These symptoms were followed by general spasms, which soon closed the scene. After death the body was examined. Upon laying open the stomach it pre- sented the appearance exhibited in the plate. It contained a considerable quantity of dark fluid resembling coflee grounds; the inner surface was covered with a dark brown flaky substance, upon removing which, it exhibited marks of having been in a high state of inflammation; some portions appearing of a deep red or mahogany color, aud others quite black, as if in a state of incipient mortification. It was obvious that the dark flaky matter which lined the inner coat, as well as that lying loosely in the cavity of the organ, was blood which had exuded from the vessels of the inflamed surface, and had been acted upon by gastric juice, converting it into the black vomit. I have had several opportunities of inspecting the body after death of those who have fallen by intemperance in a state of delirium tremens; and have found not only the symptoms attending the affection, but tho morbid appearance upon dissection to bo extremely uniform, and my observations fully confirm the 'unon entertained by most modern pathologists, that the disease has its seat ci iginally in the stomach, and that the aft'ection of the brain is purely sympa- thetic and secondary: an opinion sustained also by the course found most siiccessfnl in the treatment of the disease. Having thus spoken of intemperance as affecting the condition of the stomach, you will naturally inquire whether these effects can be produced by no other cause than alcoholic drinks? To such an inquiry, I answer that they can. Ihere are various abuses of the stomach which may cause them. They may bo produced by excess in eating, by tho use of gross stimulating and luxurious 'liot, j)y too much animal food, and, especially if improperly masticated, by rich ;md indigestible sauces and gravies, by stimulating condiments in great abun- 'laiico, such as cayenne pepper, mustard, tho dificrent spices, and tho habitual iiso of opium in large doses. The striking similarity in the effects produced in the body and mind by tho liahitual use of opium among tho Chinese, and those which follow the use of intoxicating drinks among other nations, affords a fair inference, that the c 2 Plate r. Case of delirium tremens. Appearance of the stomach. Seat of the disease. Causes. Opium and alcohul.