Page:Alcohol, a Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine.djvu/41

Rh, flatulency, irritation and sometimes inflammation. (f) Diseases of the bowels: relaxation or purging, irritation, (g) Diseases of the liver: congestion, hardening and shrinking cirrhosis, (h) Diseases of the kidneys: change of structure into fatty or waxy-like condition and other changes leading to dropsy, (i) Diseases of the muscles: fatty changes in the muscles, by which they lose their power for proper active contraction. (j) Diseases of the membranes of the body: thickening and loss of elasticity, by which the parts wrapped up in the membrane are impaired for use, and premature decay is induced.

But it constantly happens that when deaths from these diseases are recorded and alcohol has been the primary cause, some other cause is believed to have been at work.

While drinking parents by virtue of a strong constitution sometimes escape the penalty of their bibulous habit, it is not uncommon to see their children suffering from some disease or nervous weakness such as is caused by alcohol, "the sins of the father being visited upon the children."

Erasmus Darwin says upon this point:—

Prof. Christison, of Edinburgh, in answer to