LIVER DISEASE CALLED THIRD-ranking killer

Liver disease, often linked to heavy drinking, is the third-ranking killer in Canada, a doctor's gathering at Toronto General hospital was told hesterday.

Dr. M. M. Fisher, a member of the Canadian Hepatic Foundation, said the exact extent of mortality due to liver damage could be even higher. A damaged liver can pass toxic substances to the blood, heart and brain, and death in such cases is often not traced to liver disease, he said.

Cirrhosis of the liver, often caused by prolonged heavy drinking, is the third leading cause of death among New Yorkers aged 25 to 65, Dr. Charles S. Liebver of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, told the group.

He said no treatment has been developed because it is not yet known how alcohol produces its effects on the liver.

Only the liver can rid the body of alcohol, but in doing so it stops burning off fat. "The result is fatty tissue in the liver, Dr. Lieber said.

This appeared to be the first step in the progressive deterioration of the liver. It is followed by alcoholic hepatitis and eventually cirrhosis or irreparable scarring of the liver.

DON SAYS: This article was published in the Donwood Newsletter in May of 1974. Now some time has passed, and further work may have been done to update this information. The reason I publish this here is to inform the interested alcoholic that may read this will be appraised of the short and long term problems caused by abusive alcohol intake.