On the Poisonous Action of Alcohols 

 upon Different Organisms. 



By 

 M. Tsukamoto. Nogakushi. 



The physiological action of different alcohols has been investigated 

 by varions anthoi's, hut the conclusions reached haAe not been always 

 concordant. According to Dogiel,^ for instance, methylic alcohol is 

 less poisonous tlian ethylic alcohol, while Diijardin-Beaumetz and 

 Andigé^ state just the reverse as the result of their experiments. A. 

 Schneegans and -I. v. Mering" conclude that the primary alcohols 

 are less narcotic than the secondary ones, and tVie latter less so than 

 the tertiary, but this does not agree with the results of the experiments 

 made by W. Gibbs and E. d. Reichert.^ Xevertlieless it may be 

 concluded from many different experiments that on the wliole the 

 toxic action of alcohols in the methylic series runs parallel with the 

 inci'ease in the number of carbon atcmis contained in their molecule. 

 However, the subjects serving for these experiments were chiefly 

 warm-blooded animals, and very rarely tlie lower forms of life. It 

 seeuied, tlieretore, of S(jme interest to compare in this respect some 

 représentât trrs of all kinds uj licing organlsiiis. Of sjiecial interest also it 



1. Pfliip. Arch., 8, liO.") : or Ampric. Chom. Jmtr., 13, 870. 



2. Jour. Chem. Soc. Loud., 30, 539, from Compt. n'nd., 83, 80-82. In the Americ. Chem. 

 Jour., 13, 870, and Jour. Chem. Soc. Load.. 60, 1393, they are said to have found that 

 " methylic alcohol was /«'.•?.< poisonous than ethylic alcohol, but it is evident from the abstract in 

 J. Ch. Soc. Lond., 30, 539 that they have been misquoted. 



3. Chem. Centrnlb., 1892. II., 367. 



4. Americ. Chem. Jour., 13, 370. 



