A scientist tells the story that he once experienced the unique, however tragic, chance to witness the same occurrence in the brain anatomy of a man who, in a fit of drunken euphoria, severed his head beneath the wheel of a train car, and whose brain instantly separated from his skull as a result of the collision. Three minutes after the death, the complete brain was in front of him. Its membranes and minute structures were extremely vascular, and it gave off a spirit-like odor. It appeared as though someone had just given it a red injection.The pia-mater, or internal vascular membrane enveloping the brain, resembled a delicate web of coagulated red blood, so tensely were its fine arteries engorged that the white matter of the cerebrum, studded with scarlet spots, could not be differentiated when it was incised.He added that this condition failed to show the same intensity in the medulla or the beginning section of the spinal cord, but it did extend across the area of the cerebellum and both the bigger and smaller brains, the cerebrum and cerebellum.
imapct on the nerves and the spine:
Alcohol's effects persisted after the initial stage, influencing the spinal cord's function. In a healthy state, we are used to using this portion of the nervous system to carry out mechanically automated actions that continue methodically even when we are conversing or thinking about other topics. Thus, a skilled worker will flawlessly complete his mechanical task even if his thoughts are focused on something else. Similarly, we all carry out our daily tasks in an entirely automatic manner without enlisting the help of the higher centers, unless an extraordinary circumstance arises that necessitates their assistance and causes us to deliberate before acting.These pure autonomic actions stop being correctly performed when under the influence of alcohol because the spinal centers become impacted. To ensure the security of the procedure, the higher intellectual center must be called upon so that the hand may grasp any object or the foot can be placed correctly. A lack of coordination in the movement of muscles immediately follows this. Nervous stimulation is essentially diminished, and some muscles lose their nervous control.It is noteworthy to mention that the extensor muscles give way earlier than the flexors, and in most cases, the lower lip muscles in human subjects give way before the lower limb muscles. By now the muscles themselves are also losing strength; they react to the neurological stimulus with less vigor than is normal; they are also being depressed due to the paralyzing substance, their structure is momentarily disturbed, and their contractile capacity is diminished.
The second degree of the animal's conduct is shown by this alteration in how it behaves when drunk. Young subjects typically experience vomiting and dizziness at this point, which is usually followed by a progressive release of the poison.
impact on the brain's central nervous system:
The cerebral or brain centers are affected to a greater extent by the alcoholic spirit; their strength is diminished and the reinforcing effects of judgment and volition are gone. The intellectual aspect of man's nature yields to the emotional, passionate, or organic aspects as these centers become imbalanced and chaotic. Now that the reason is off duty, or playing with duty, all of the basic animal instincts and feelings are brutally exposed.The coward appears more lustful, the haughty more gloating, the harsher more ruthless, the dishonest more dishonest, and the sensual more debased. "In vino veritas" accurately portrays the genuine state, even down to the physiological level. All of these things—reason, feelings, and instincts—are in a chaotic, fragile carnival state.
Ultimately, the effects of the alcohol continue to spread, overwhelming the superior brain centers; the body is reduced to a simple log, dead except for a quarter of its length, on which its life alone hangs; the senses are obscured, the voluntary muscular prostration is perfected, and sensitivity is gone.The heart continues to function as it should, providing the breathing force while it is still alive. Thus, until the poison starts to fade and the nerve centers start to resurrect, the circulation and respiration in the otherwise inert bulk preserve the mass within the barest sphere of existence. The fact that the brain usually fails so much before the heart does means that the drunk is delighted because it gives him the ability to stop destroying things until his circulation stops altogether. He thus survives to die a second time.
