118 VETEKINARY MATERIA MBDICA. 



CEREBRAL DEPRESSANTS. 



Alcohol and Its Pkeparations. 



An alcohol may be defined as being a volatile or- 

 ganic compound of an organic radical and hydroxyl 

 (HO), containing no N, having great affinity for wa- 

 ter, and reacting with acids to form H^O and ethers. 

 An alcohol is obtained by distillation from the fer- 

 mented product of grape sugar or other substance, 

 such as starch, which may be readily converted into 

 grape sugar. This fermented product, in the presence 

 and by the growth of certain low vegetable organisms 

 (the yeast plant, etc.), splits up into alcohol and COj. 

 The most important alcohols are : 



1. Methylic Alcohol — CH^O — methyl hydrate, 

 wood spirit. 



2. Ethylic Alcohol — C^HjO — ethyl hydrate, grain 

 spirit. 



3. Amylic Alcohol — CjHj^O — amyl hydrate, potato 

 spirit, fusel oil. 



When speaking of " alcohol " medicinally or phar- 

 maceutically, the ethyl hydrate or grain spirit is the 

 one referred to (see Alcohol or Rectified Spirit below) . 



The Official Preparations of Alcohol are : 

 Alcohol Ahsolutum, spiritus absolutus, absolute 

 alc6hol, is ethyl alcohol containing not more than one 

 per cent, by weight of water. It is a mobile, color- 

 less, volatile liquid, having a spirituous odor and an 

 intensely burning taste. Specific gravity, 0.797 at 

 60° F. 



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