482 CONSIDERATION OF CARBON COMPOUNDS. 



By replacement of the hydrogen of the hydroxyl in alcohols by 

 alcohol radicals ethers are formed ; by replacing the same hydrogen 

 with acid radicals compound ethers are produced. Suitable oxidizing 

 agents convert alcohols first into aldehydes then into acids. 



Monatomic normal alcohols of the general composition 



or C n H 2n + 2 O. 



Methyl alcohol, CH 3 OH (Methyl hydroxide, Carbinol, Wood-spirit, 

 Wood-naphtha). Methyl alcohol is one of the many products obtained 

 by the destructive distillation of wood. When pure it is a thin color- 

 less liquid, similar in odor and taste to ethyl alcohol, and is often sub- 

 stituted for the latter for various purposes in the arts and manu- 

 factures. 



Crude wood-spirit, which contains many impurities, has an offensive odor, 

 a burning taste, and is strongly poisonous. A more or less impure article is 

 sold under the name of Columbian spirit, while methylated spirit is ordinary 

 alcohol containing 10 per cent, of methyl alcohol. 



The physiological intoxicating and poisonous properties of methyl alcohol 

 are similar to those of ordinary alcohol, but more pronounced. Cases of 

 poisoning, if recovery takes place, may be followed by more or less blindness, 

 due to atrophy of the optic nerve. 



Ethyl alcohol, C 2 H 5 OH =45.7 (Common alcohol, Ethyl hydroxide, 

 Spirit), may be obtained from ethene, C 2 H 4 , by addition of the 

 elements of water, which may be accomplished by agitating ethene 

 with strong sulphuric acid, when direct combination takes place and 

 ethyl sulphuric acid is formed : 



C 2 H 4 + H,S0 4 = C 2 H 3 HS0 4 . 

 Ethene. Sulphuric acid. Ethyl sulphuric acid. 



Ethyl sulphuric acid mixed with water and distilled yields sul- 

 phuric acid and ethyl alcohol : 



C 2 H 6 HS0 4 + H 2 = H 2 SO 4 + C 2 H 5 OH. 



