EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 107 



What is strong drink? It is a liquid 

 strong Drink. which conta i ns ai^hol i n l ar ge or small 



quantity; and, if taken into the system, will affect, 

 more or less, all the organs and tissues of the body; 

 and, if the quantity is sufficient, will cause what is 

 called drunkenness or intoxication. 



It is a liquid which in appearance can 

 what is if?* not be distinguished from water. If 



one vial be filled with water and an- 

 other with alcohol, at a little distance it cannot be 

 told which contains the water and which the alcohol. 

 But the properties of the two are remarkably dif- 

 ferent. The alcohol has a strong odor, and a hot, 

 biting taste. A small quantity may be placed in a 

 shallow dish and a burning match held to it, when 

 it will readily burn with a pale flame, but giving 

 off much heat. If the white (albumen) of an egg 

 be put in a cup, and alcohol poured on it, the albu- 

 men will soon become white, hard and tough, as if 

 cooked. In all these and in many other particulars, 

 it differs very much from water, which it so much 

 resembles in appearance. 



Nearly all of the grains, as wheat, rye, 

 origin? 8 barley, corn and rice, contain much 



starch. Corn-starch is made from corn, 

 and sold by the grocer. The starch of these grains 

 can, under certain circumstances, be converted into 

 sugar, and this, in turn, can be changed into two 

 very different substances, carbonic acid gas and 



