274 



Dr. A. Dupre on the Elimination of Alcohol. 



Second series. — Discontinued the use of alcohol, in any shape, on 

 March the 20th. On March the 29th, at 10 a.m., took 56 cub. centims. 

 brandy (same brandy as in previous experiments). Urine collected for 

 every 3 hours up to the 12th, from the 12th to the 24th hour, and during 

 the next succeeding 2 days. The breath was passed through the apparatus, 

 for ten minutes at a time, in every half hour during the first 9 hours, and 

 during 1 hour (between 2 and 4 p.m.) on the 2 days following. The re- 

 sults are arranged in Table II. p. 273. 



Total amount of absolute alcohol eliminated through the kidney 

 during the 3 days 0*1780 grm. ; more than -fa of this amount was elimi- 

 nated during the first 3 hours. 



Total amount of absolute alcohol eliminated through the lungs during 

 the 3 days (adding -L for loss) 0*2336 grm. In both cases all the volatile 

 acid obtained during the 3 days is calculated as alcohol. 



An examination of Table I. shows that, even after 10 days' total absti- 

 nence, a substance is eliminated by the kidneys, and apparently also in the 

 breath, which, when distilled and oxidized, yields a volatile acid (the acid 

 has the smell of acetic acid). An opportunity was therefore taken to 

 examine the urine of a gentleman, a teetotaler, who had only once in his life, 

 and that two years previously, taken some spirituous liquor. On treating 

 this urine in the usual manner, for the detection and estimation of alcohols, 

 an amount of volatile acid was obtained from 1 day's urine which neu- 

 tralized 0'5 cub. centim. deci- normal soda. The experiment was twice re- 

 peated with different days' urine with the same result. The smell of the 

 volatile acid in this case also was that of acetic acid. We must therefore 

 look upon this substance, whatever it may be, which yields the volatile 

 acid as a normal constituent of urine; The elimination of alcohol must, 

 then, be considered at an end as soon as the proportion of volatile acid ob- 

 tained sinks to the normal amount. 



Leaving, then, the nature of this substance out of consideration for the 

 present, we arrive at the following conclusions : — 



1st. The amount of alcohol eliminated per day does not increase with the 

 continuance of the alcohol diet ; therefore all the alcohol consumed daily 

 must of necessity be disposed of daily ; and as it certainly is not eliminated 

 within that time, it must be destroyed in the system. 



2nd. The elimination of alcohol following a dose or doses of alcohol is 

 completed 24 hours after the last dose has been taken. 



3rd. The amount of alcohol eliminated, in both breath and urine, is a 

 minute fraction only of the amount of alcohol taken*. 



A consideration of Table II. leads substantially to the same conclusions. 

 Here, a single dose having been taken, elimination had ceased to be per- 



* Quite recently I have examined the urine of a woman suffering from ascites, who 

 at the time of the experiment took 12 ounces of brandy (38 per cent, by weight of absolute 

 alcohol) daily, and had done so during a period of six weeks. Two days' urine yielded 

 0-0366 grm. of acetic acid, equivalent to 0-02806 grm., or 0'44 grain alcohol. 



