ALCOHOLS. 485 



system to carbon dioxide and water ; larger amounts are eliminated, 

 for the most part unchanged, by the lungs and kidneys. 



The treatment of acute alcohol poisoning is chiefly restricted to the evacua- 

 tion of the stomach, warm applications to the extremities, and possibly hypo- 

 dermic injections of strychnine to sustain the heart. 



Denatured alcohol. Alcohol may be withdrawn from bond without the 

 payment of internal revenue tax for use in the arts and industries, and for 

 fuel, light, and power, provided said alcohol shall have been mixed, under 

 certain prescribed regulations, with specified denaturing material, whereby it is 

 rendered unfit for beverage or medicinal purposes. 



Completely denatured alcohol must contain either methyl alcohol and ben- 

 zin, or methyl alcohol and pyridine bases. Tax-free alcohol may also be used 

 for manufacturing chemicals, where the alcohol is changed into some other 

 chemical substance and does not appear in the finished product as alcohol, 

 Inasmuch as the agents present in completely denatured alcohol render it 

 unfit for use in many chemical industries, special denaturants have been 

 authorized by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue where absolutely neces- 

 sary. About fifteen special denaturing formulas are in use at the present time. 



Hospitals are allowed to denature alcohol with substances which render it 

 unfit as a beverage, but not for external use. For this purpose such substances 

 as camphor, thymol, boric acid, etc., may be used. . 



For a full account of the subject of denatured alcohol, and the various for- 

 mulas for this purpose, see the article on Alcohol in the National Standard 

 Dispensatory. 



Analytical reactions for ethyl alcohol. 



1. Dissolve a small crystal of iodine in about 2 c c. of alcohol ; 

 add to the cold solution potassium hydroxide until the brown color 

 of the solution disappears ; a yellow precipitate of iodoform, CHI 3 , 

 forms. Many other alcohols, aldehyde, acetone, etc., show the same 

 reaction. 



2. Add to about 1 c.c. of alcohol the same volume of sulphuric 

 acid ; heat to boiling and add gradually a little more alcohol : the 

 odor of ethyl ether will be noticed distinctly on further heating. 



3. Add to a mixture of equal volumes of alcohol and sulphuric, 

 acid, a crystal (or strong solution) of sodium acetate: acetic ether is 

 formed and recognized by its odor. 



4. To about 2 c.c. of potassium dichromate solution add 0.5 c.c. of 

 sulphuric acid and 1 cc. of alcohol: upon heating gently the liquid 

 becomes green from the formation of chromic sulphate, while alde- 

 hyde is formed and may be recognized by its odor. 



Alcoholic liquors. Numerous substances containing sugar or starch (which 

 may be converted into sugar) are used in the manufacture of the various alco- 



