Frisky was mated with Bum, and has up to the present given birth to six litters. She had been given whiskey from April, 1896, to November, 1897. Their history is as follows:

Alcohol was also discontinued in her case from November, 1898, but in the two subsequent litters none of the whelps were viable, and only one was viable in the third. In the whiskey, Frisky did not receive as much alcohol as Tipsy, and it was given her case about one year less, but, aside from this, her reproductive history forms a rather close parallel to Tipsy's.

In the matter of non-viability these puppies seemed as inexplicable as many similar cases in man. In weight they were equal to, or exceeded, many of Topsy's viable whelps. They simply would not put forth the least effort to make a live of it. I spent hours milking in their mouths, but to no avail. Examination of the brains of a number of these pups failed to show any traces of medulation; whereas normal whelps killed at birth were found to possess medulated fibres in the sensorimotor areas. No other malformations could be detected, and this seems to be the only clue to their lack of vigor.2

Considered in relation to the general literature of the subject, our experiments supply additional evidence to prove that alcohol in small amounts exerts an inhibiting or sedative influence upon certain physiological processes. This is seen in its effect in slowing the growth of yeast, and, while bodily growth has not been interfered with under the conditions of most of our experiments, it is plainly indicated in lowering the normal activities of animals to which it has been administered. The evidence also supports the general conclusions of hygienists that in feats of strength and endurance alcohol should be avoided. Alcoholic dogs also showed diminished resistance to distemper as compared with normal animals under the same kennel management.

On the psychic side kittens showed a sudden collapse, not

1 Two of these were killed at birth for examination of brains.

! I am largely indebted for these results to Dr. Frederick Burk.

While

only of intelligence, but even of fundamental instincts. this was soon complicated by disease, nothing so complete was observed in control animals similarly affected. With dogs no impairment of general intelligence was manifested, except that timidity developed as a characteristic psychosis in all those to which alcohol was given. This confirms the results of other experiments on dogs, and also has wide application to the human problem, fear being characteristic of acute alcoholic poisoning and of alcoholic insanities.

Possibly the most important of our results relates to the vigor and normality of offspring. We do not attach much importance to the greater percentage of deformity, since this is of somewhat common occurrence in kennels, and our cases are too few. In respect, however, to vigor and viability of offspring the difference between normal and alcoholic pairs is more striking. This result, it is to be hoped, may stimulate to much more extended research in this important field.

While the experiments are admittedly too few to serve as basis for more definite general conclusions, the possession of control animals adds considerably to their value. And the great amount of time and labor necessary to their prosecution must justify adding the foregoing results to the literature of the subject.

THE INFLUENCE OF ACUTE ALCOHOLISM ON THE NORMAL VITAL RESISTANCE OF RABBITS TO INFECTION.

By A. C. ABBOTT, M. D.,

FIRST ASSISTANT, LABORATORY OF HYGIENE,

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.