St. Bernard dogs tend to be pictured with a container of alcohol around their necks in the mountains. The theory is that the dogs can help rescue people stranded in the cold, snowy mountains, and then the person stranded can drink the alcohol and get warm. Does this actually work? Many studies have been conducted to test this theory out. Alcohol actually tends to have more of a hypothermic effect than a hyperthermic effect. Alcohol affects many different things in the body such as body temperature, blood flow, metabolism and heat loss. Short term, the alcohol makes you feel warmer, but it really is hurting you more than helping. Alcohol affects the central nervous system which in turn causes a lot of things to occur. The autonomic nervous