ALCOHOL 353 



the distillation of fermented saccharine liquids. Specific 

 gravity 0-8340. By weight it contains 14-35 per cent, of 

 water, and 85-65 per cent, of ethylic alcohol. It burns with 

 a blue, smokeless flame. Leaves no residue when evapor- 

 ated, and remains clear when mixed with water (B.P.). It 

 dissolves iodine, camphor, balsams, castor oil, most alkal- 

 oids, and deliquescent salts, but not the carbonates. It 

 is used in the preparation o^all the spirits, and a large 

 number of the tinctures of the Pharmacopoeia, 1898. 



Diluted alcohol. The four official liquids obtained by 

 diluting alcohol (90 per cent.), or rectified spirit, with 

 distilled water, contain respectively 70, 60, 45, and 20 per 

 cent, by volume of ethyl hydroxide (B.P.). They may be 

 prepared as follows : 



(1) Alcohol (70 per cent.). With 100 fluid ounces of 

 alcohol (90 per cent.) mix 31-05 fluid ounces of distilled 

 water. Specific gravity 0-8900. 



(2) Alcohol (60 per cent.). With 100 fluid ounces of 

 alcohol (90 per cent.) mix 53| (53-65) fluid ounces of dis- 

 tilled water. Specific gravity 0-9135. 



(3) Alcohol (45 per cent.). With 100 fluid ounces alcohol 

 (90 per cent.) mix 105J (105-34) fluid ounces distilled water. 

 Specific gravity 0-9436. 



(4) Alcohol (20 per cent.). With 100 fluid ounces of 

 alcohol (90 per cent.) mix 355| (355-8) fluid ounces of dis- 

 tilled water. Specific gravity 0-9760. 



The non-official proof spirit (spiritus tenuior) contains 

 57*09 per cent, by volume of ethylic alcohol. Specific 

 gravity 0-920. In the B.P. 1898, proof spirit has been re- 

 placed by alcohol (60 per cent.). 



Ethyl bromide and ethyl chloride are volatile liquids, and 

 occasionally used to produce both local and general anaes- 

 thesia. 



Methylic alcohol (CH 3 OH). This spirit is obtained by 

 the destructive distillation of wood. It is also prepared from 

 beet sugar refuse. Methylic alcohol when pure has many of 

 the properties, and is applied to many of the purposes of 

 ethylic alcohol. It burns with a pale flame, is not rendered 

 turbid by water, boils at 140 Fahr., and has an empyreumatic 

 odour depending upon the presence of acetone (di-methyl- 



