ALCOHOLS. 313 



Spirits differ from either wines or beers in so far as the latter are not dis- 

 tilled, and therefore contain also non-volatile organic and inorganic substances, 

 such as salts, etc., not found in the spirits, which are distilled liquids contain- 

 ing volatile compounds only. Moreover, the quantity of alcohol in spirits is 

 very much larger, and varies from 45 to 55 per cent. Of distilled spirits may 

 be mentioned : American whiskey, made from fermented rye or Indian corn ; 

 Irish whiskey, from potatoes; Scotch whiskey, from barley; brandy or cognac, by 

 distilling French wines ; rum., by fermenting and distilling molasses ; arrack, 

 from fermented rice ; gin, from various grains flavored with juniper berries. 



Amyl alcohol, C 5 H n OH. This alcohol is frequently formed in small quanti- 

 ties during the fermentation of corn, potatoes, and other substances. When 

 the alcoholic liquors are distilled, amyl alcohol passes over toward the end of 

 the distillation, generally accompanied by propyl, butyl, and other alcohols, 

 and by certain ethers and compound ethers. A mixture of these substances 

 is known as fusel oil, and, from this liquid, amyl alcohol may be obtained in a 

 pure state. It is an oily, colorless liquid, having a peculiar odor, and a burning, 

 acrid taste; it is soluble in alcohol, but not in water. By oxidation of amyl 

 alcohol, valerianic acid is obtained. 



Amylene hydrate, Ethyl-dimethyl-carbinol, C 5 ff l2 0, is an alcohol isomeric with 

 the above amyl alcohol, but yielding only acetic acid on oxidation. It is 

 a colorless liquid, having a pungent, ethereal odor, and a boiling-point of 

 100 C. (212 F.). 



Glycerin, Glycerinum, C 3 H 5 (OH) 3 (Glycerol). Glycerin is the 

 triatoinic or tri-acid alcohol of the residue glyceryl, C 3 H 5 , formed by 

 removal of the three atoms of hydrogen from the saturated hydro- 

 carbon propane, C 3 H 8 , and by combination of the residue with 3OEL 



Glycerin is a normal constituent of all fats, which are glycerin in 

 which the three atoms of hydrogen of the hydroxyl have been re- 

 placed by radicals of fat acids. When fats are treated with alkalies^ 

 these latter combine with the fat acids, whilst glycerin is liberated. 

 Upon this decomposition, carried out on a large scale in the manu- 

 facture of soap, depends the mode of obtaining glycerin. 



Pure glycerin is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid of a syrupy con- 

 sistence, oily to the touch, hygroscopic, very sweet, and neutral in re- 

 action, soluble in water and alcohol in all proportions, but insoluble in 

 ether, chloroform, benzol, and fixed oils ; its specific gravity is 1.255 ; 

 it cannot be distilled by itself without decomposition, but is volatil- 

 ized in the presence of water, or when hot steam is allowed to pass 

 through it. 



Glycerin is a good solvent for a large number of organic and inor- 

 ganic substances; the solutions thereby obtained are often termed 

 glycerites ; official are the glycerites of starch, carbolic acid, tannic 

 acid, and a few others. 



