_Phys. eff._ Alcohol is a narcotico-acrid poison. In small doses it occasions excitement and intoxication; in larger ones, delirium, somnolency, coma, apoplexy, and death. It acts as a violent nervous stimulant, and, by abstracting water from the soft tissues of the stomach and primæ viæ, destroys their organisation. It is alike poisonous to all animals;--2 drs. will kill a dog. All strong spirits act in the same way, the effect being proportionate to the state of concentration and the quantity taken. On plants it acts as a rapid and fatal poison.
_Ant., &c._ Copious internal use of tepid water, with cold affusions to the head and spine, and injection of cold water into the ears. In the absence of vomiting, a strong emetic should be given, or the stomach-pump used. Ammonia may be used as a stimulant, and, added to water just in sufficient quantity to flavour it, is one of the best antidotes. The head should be kept elevated, and bleeding had recourse to, if cerebral congestion threatens.
_Tests in cases of death._ 1. The odour of the contents of the stomach and ejected matters, and their ready inflammability. 2. The spirit may be separated by digestion with water, filtration, the addition of carbonate of potash, and distillation.
_Comp., &c._ Its per-centage composition is--
Dumas and Brande and Ure. sp. Boullay. Ure. gr. 0·812. Carbon 52·37 52·18 47·85 Hydrogen 13·01 13·04 12·24 Oxygen 34·61 34·78 39·91 ------- -------- -------- 99·99 100·00 100·00
This nearly represents 2 equivalents of carbon, 3 eq. of hydrogen, and 1 of oxygen. The atom of alcohol is now regarded as a multiple of these numbers, and formed by the breaking up of one atom of grape sugar (C_{ 13}H_{ 28}O_{ 11}) into 4 eq. of alcohol, 8 eq. of carbonic acid, and 4 eq. of water. It was formerly regarded as a compound of 1 eq. of olefiant gas, and 1 eq. of water; but it is now generally viewed as HYDRATE OF THE OXIDE OF ETHYLE (C_{ 2}H_{ 5}.HO), or a compound of ethylene and water (C_{ 2}H_{ 4}.H_{ 2}O). Grape sugar alone yields alcohol; cane sugar, before it undergoes the vinous fermentation, being first converted into this substance by contact with the ferment.
_Purity._ The presence of water is shown by the specific gravity (see ALCOHOLOMETRY); the absence of other foreign matter by the following tests:--