Note 28 — Chapter VI · Digestion.

“When constantly irritated by the direct action of alcoholic drinks, the stomach gradually undergoes lasting structural changes. Its vessels remain dilated and congested, its connective tissue becomes excessive, its power of secreting gastric juice diminishes, and its mucous secretions abnormally abundant.”—H. Newell Martin, late Professor of Physiology in Johns Hopkins University. “Chemical experiments have demonstrated that the action of alcohol on the digestive fluids is to destroy its active principle, the pepsin, thus confirming the observations of physiologists that its use gives ride to the most serious disorders of the stomach and the most malignant aberrations of the entire economy.”—Professor E. C. Youmans, author of standard scientific works. “The structural changes induced by habitual use of alcohol and the action of this agent on the pepsin, seriously impair the digestive power. Hence it is, that those who are habitual consumers of alcoholic fluids suffer from disorders o digestion.”—Robert Bartholow, recently Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Pennsylvania. “Alcohol in any appreciable quantity diminishes the solvent power of the gastric fluid so as to interfere with the process of digestion instead of aiding it.”—Professor W. B. Carpenter, the eminent English physiologist.