Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
December,  1920.  j 
Wood  Alcohol  No  Longer. 
907 
resembles  pure  ethanol  so  closely  that  the  ordinary  layman  can 
hardly  distinguish  the  difference  between  the  two.  In  complex 
mixtures,  whisky,  etc.,  its  detection  involves  very  careful  chemical 
analysis.  Formerly  it  cost  less  than  ethanol,  so  unscrupulous  people 
were  tempted  to  use  it  as  substitute  for  ethanol  in  ^  adulterating 
whisky,  essences,  extracts,  bitters,  washes,  liniments,  balsams, 
perfumes,  etc.  The  victims  were  generally  those  who  indulged  in 
the  commoner  forms  of  whisky,  rum,  and  wine,  although  persons 
not  addicted  to  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks  were  undoubtedly 
often  affected  innocently  from  drinking  Jamaica  ginger,  lemon 
extract,  essences,  bitters,  medicines,  etc.,  whose  chief  menstruum 
was  "deodorized"  wood  alcohol.  At  one  time  the  poorer  negroes 
in  the  Southwest  drank  it  under  the  name  of  "white  horse"  or  "old 
mule."  Happily,  the  abuses  grew  less  through  the  operation  of  the 
National  Pure  Food  and  Drugs  Act  of  June,  1906.  However,  during 
the  penumbra  of  prohibition  many  cases  of  blindness  and  death 
occurred  through  the  drinking  of  wood  alcohol  or  denatured  alcohol. 
The  "completely  denatured  alcohol"  is  the  more  readily  ob- 
tainable. Formula  No.  i  called  for  10  per  cent,  of  specified  com- 
mercial methyl  alcohol  with  one-half  of  i  per  cent,  of  approved 
benzine.  This  has  been,  and  is,  used  in  radiator  water  of  motor 
vehicles  to  make  a  non-freezing  mixture.  This  may  account  in 
part  for  the  cases  traced  to  garages.  After  the  outbreak  referred 
to,  this  formula  was  revoked  December  29  last,  appearing  in  orders 
issued  January  8,  1920.  Hereafter  no  completely  denatured  alcohol 
containing  more  than  2  per  cent,  methanol  will  be  allowed.  As 
alcohol  of  strengths  above  80  per  cent,  require  dilution  before  drink- 
ing, it  is  doubtful  if  any  future  acute  cases  may  be  attributed  to 
denatured  alcohol,  that  is,  after  the  present  outstanding  stocks 
under  Formula  No.  i  are  used  up. 
However,  we  cannot  be  so  hopeful  in  regard  to  chronic  cases 
culminating  in  blindness  or  defective  vision  which  may  be  attributed 
to  drinking  diluted  denatured  alcohol  containing  methanol.  The 
denaturing  deterrents  are  selected  primarily  on  account  of  the 
nauseous  odor  and  repulsive  taste,  rather  than  physiological  action. 
These  odors  and  tastes  repel  some  people.  "Rot  gut"  whiskies  and 
some  "mountain  dews"  are  not  far  behind  varieties  of  denatured 
alcohol  in  odor  and  taste.  With  added  flavoring,  denatured  alcohol 
containing  2  per  cent,  of  methanol  may  be  diluted  until  it  contains 
I  per  cent,  or  less  of  methyl  hydroxide,  and  be  drunk.    Death  is 
