ALCOHOL AND ITS EFFECTS. 275 



.alcohol remains dissolved into the water. By distillation this is separated from 

 the principal part of the water, the remainder of which may be removed by cer- 

 tain chemical processes and absolute alcohol obtained. It was once believed 

 that alcohol was the product of distillation, but it is now known that this process 

 only separates the alcohol that has already been generated by fermentation. The 

 alcohol in general use contains from seven .to fifteen per cent of water. Pure 

 alcohol is a transparent fluid having a specific gravity of 796, water being 1000. 

 It has a very pungent taste, boils at 170° and has never been frozen. It inflames 

 at 300'°, burning with a pale blue flame, emitting no smoke, little light but much 

 heat. This agent is a powerful solvent, readily dissolving most of the resinous 

 ^ums and vegetable extracts. Chemically, alcohol is composed of three gases in 

 the following proportions : 



Carbon ,.. 51.88 



Hydrogen , . 13.70 



Oxygen ••........ 34.42 



The amount of alcohol that is found in the different kinds of intoxicating 

 drinks varies with the different classes and kinds of liquors. The following exr 

 hibits the proportion of alcohol and proof spirits found in the different kinds of 

 fermented liquors. 



ALCOHOL. 



Port Wine 23 percent. 



Madeira 22 " 



Sherry 19 " 



Champagne ... 12^ " 



Cider 7 " 



Porter ....... \}{ " 



Ale 6)4 " 



Small Beer ..... i ^ " 



From this it will be seen that these drinks contain from one fortieth to near- 

 ly one-half of proof spirits. The proportion of alcohol found in the various 

 kinds of distilled liquors is — 



Brandy 53-39 per cent. 



Rum . . . . 53.68 



Gin, common 51.60 



Gin, Hollands 55-44 



Scotch Whisky 54-32 



Irish Whisky 73-7° 



Common Whisky 42.95 



Of this class of liquors we find from over two-fifths to nearly three-fourths to 

 consist of alcohol. Besides the water mingled with the alcohol there are other 



