PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 621 



of alcoholic substances. Alcohol does not exist in the constitu- 

 tion of healthy vegetable organization, no more than mortar is 

 found spontaneously existing in nature ; but alcohol is formed by 

 a certain manner and amount of fermentation of certain parts of 

 vegetables. The alcohol may be separated from the other debris 

 of fermentation by moderate heat, and then condensed into liquid. 

 This condensed alcoholic liquid usually contains some water, and 

 also more or less of the fermented essential oils of the vegetables 

 used, thereby transformed into fusil oils. After the proper vege- 

 table substances for generating alcohol have been fermented, and 

 the alcohol formed, but before it has been evaporated from them, 

 then the mass of fermented vegetable substances is either beer, 

 wine or vinegar, according to the selection and management of the 

 substances used, but either may be manipulated to yield its alco- 

 hol, and then the remainder will rapidly go into disorganizing 

 putrefaction. 



But after alcohol has been formed by fermentation, and sepa- 

 rated from some of the other vegetable debris by evaporation, 

 and collected by condensation into liquid alcohol ; then the alco- 

 hol may be dissolved by either of the strong mineral acids, viz : 

 sulphuric, nitric or chloric acids, and then sulphuric ether, nitric 

 ether, or chloroform are formed, and may be collected while 

 escaping in vapor, and condensed for concentrated storage. 

 Ether manifests most of the effects of alcohol ; but is as much 

 more concentrated than common alcohol, as common alcohol is 

 mofe concentrated than beer, wine, or vinegar. 



Ordinary alcohol is not disposed to. run spontaneously into 

 putrefaction, as would the other elements of beer, wine and vine- 

 gar, after the alcohol is eliminated ; but it rather tends to pre- 

 vent putrefaction, not only in beer, wine and vinegar, but in al- 

 most all vegetable or animal substances immersed in it. More- 

 over, alcohol, and its frequent concomitant, fusil oil, dissolve 

 many vegetable and animal substances, and ether dissolves many 

 more. 



Having now revived or renewed our acquaintance with the his- 

 tory and habits of alcohol in several of its various forms, we are 

 somewhat prepared to notice and record its progress and effects 

 in the human constitution, whether swallowed into the stomach, 

 or absorbed through the skin from bathing, or inspired with the 

 breath in vapor through the lungs. As soon as alcohol has been 

 swallowed, it immediately mixes with the contents of the stomach 



