18 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
an irritative reaction will come on in the brain, and the effects 
of blind drunkenness follow each debauch.” Nevertheless, a 
controversial statement of quite an opposite character has been 
recently made in France by M. Cusenier, a manufacturer of 
absinthe, who attributes the superiority of his famous collection 
of live stock to the use for them of this liquor. He says he has 
made a practice of liberally feeding his rabbits, poultry, and 
guinea-pigs with oxygenated absinthe, and has produced the result 
that his creatures thrive much better than those of his neighbours 
using other nutriments. “ The people,” says he, “ of the wine 
and spirit-making departments of France, where absinthe is 
the favourite beverage, are remarkably robust, and healthy.” 
By means of experiments on dogs, Professor D’Ormea has 
lately learnt that Absinthe, in common with the essences of 
aniseed, lemon, mint, and cinnamon, but more potently than 
these, has a very decided effect on the circulation of blood in 
the brain. They severally exercise a chemical action on nerve- 
centres which govern certain blood vessels in the brain-substance: 
and they may therefore be used remedially for such a purpose. 
ACIDS 
See Fruits (AppLE, Grape, and Lemon); VineGar (Maur). 
ALCOHOL. 
This is chemically a toxin of the yeast plant, as the spirituous 
product of vinous fermentation (whereby are given intoxicating 
properties of varying relative strength to ardent spirits, wines, 
and malt liquors, the same product being powerfully stimulating, 
and remarkably antiseptic). There are different grades of 
alcohol, according to the source from which they are respectively 
derived ; as “grain alcohol,” prepared from maize, or other grain ; 
“root alcohol,” from beets, and potatoes ; and “ moss alcohol,” 
made in large quantities from reindeer moss, and Iceland moss, 
in Norway, Sweden, and Russia. Such spirits as whisky, gin, 
and brandy contain from 40 to 50 per cent of absolute alcohol 
most wines contain from 7 or 8 to 20 per cent; and malt liquors 
from 2 to 10 per cent. Each molecule of alcohol consists of 
two atoms of carbon, six of hydrogen, and one of oxygen ; it 
contains no nitrogen. When taken into the body alcohol burns 
by the carbon being set free and then combining with the oxygen, 
precisely as when paraffin is burnt in a motor car, being a source 
