is governed by nervous action of a special kind."

Now, there are certain chemical agents, which, by their action on the
nerves, have the power to paralyze and relax these minute blood-vessels,
at their extreme points. "The whole series of nitrates," says Dr.
Richardson, "possess this power; ether possesses it; but the great point
I wish to bring forth is, that the substance we are specially dealing
with, alcohol, possesses the self-same power. By this influence it
produces all those peculiar effects which in every-day life are so
frequently illustrated."


PARALYZES THE MINUTE BLOOD-VESSELS.

It paralyzes the minute blood-vessels, and allows them to become dilated
with the flowing blood.

"If you attend a large dinner party, you will observe, after the first
few courses, when the wine is beginning to circulate, a progressive
change in some of those about you who have taken wine. The face begins
to get flushed, the eye brightens, and the murmur of conversation
becomes loud. What is the reason of that flushing of the countenance? It
is the same as the flush from blushing, or from the reaction of cold, or
from the nitrite of amyl. It is the dilatation of vessels following upon
the reduction of nervous control, which reduction has been induced by
the alcohol. In a word, the first stage, the stage of vascular
excitement from alcohol, has been established."


HEART DISTURBANCE.