tole by paralyzing its motor ganglia while stimulating its inhibitory apparatus. It lowers the arterial tension, produces profound salivation, lachrymation and sweating, contracts the pulmonary vessels, causing intense dyspnoea, and increases the intestinal, hepatic and pancreatic secretions, but markedly diminishes the renal. It disturbs the gastro-intestinal tract, causing tetanic. intestinal contractions, severe colic, vomiting and purging. It produces spasm of the accommodation, marked myosis and contraction of the pupil when given internally, but dilates the pupil widely when locally applied. [Gelsemium does so also.] Under its action the body temperature is decidedly reduced, and the excretion of waste-products is lessened. It is eliminated unchanged by the kidneys.

Agaricus acts as an intoxicant to the cerebrum, producing more vertigo and delirium than Alcohol, followed by profound sopor with lowered reflexes, perhaps coma and death.

Antagonists.

ATROPINE exactly opposes Muscarine, and vice versâ ; no example of physiological antagonism being so complete in all particulars. When a frog's heart is arrested by the topical action of a minute quantity of Muscarine, the application of a little Atropine will immediately paralyze the inhibition and restore the pulsations. An equally prompt antagonism runs through their entire spheres of action, Digitaline is to some extent antagonistic; so also is Eserine.

Therapeutics.

Muscarine has been as yet little used in medicine, but it will probably prove to be a valuable drug. It has been long used, with marked benefit, in the night-sweats of phthisis. A tincture of Agaricus has been found beneficial in ataxic typhus, chorea, and chilblains. Muscarine promises to be of great value in inflammations characterized by copious exudation, especially eye-inflammations, catarrhal jaundice, recent hemorrhoids, acute bronchitis, pulmonary hemorrhage, incipient pulmonary congestion, diabetes of both forms, and in constipation due to intestinal torpor and deficient secretion, accompanied by a torpid liver and difficult digestion of fats. In the latter affection it should be given in small doses, gr. ', thrice daily.

AILANTHUS, Tree of Heaven (Unofficial),—is the bark of Ailanthus glandulosa, a well-known shade tree, of the nat. ord. Simarubaceæ, indigenous to China, but cultivated elsewhere. It contains an oleo-resin and a volatile oil, on which its properties probably depend. Dose, gr. x−3j.

Preparations.

EXTRACTUM AILANTHUS FLUIDUM (Unofficial),-Dose, mx-3j.
TINCTURA AILANTHUS (Unofficial),-Dose, mgx-3ij.

Physiological Action.

Ailanthus is a decided nauseant, and a drastic purgative, causing also vertigo, weakness, cold sweats, dull headache, pains in the back, numbness and tingling in the limbs. It paralyzes the cerebrum and spinal cord of animals, impairment of motility beginning in their hind extremities. The cardiac action, at first increased, soon slows, the pulse becoming small and weak, and the respiration depressed, death occurring from paralysis of respiration. It is a good tæniafuge.

Therapeutics.

Ailanthus is used against tapeworm, a decoction of the fresh bark (3j ad 3iv), or the oleo-resin in drachm doses, being very efficient. It has also been well employed in malignant scarlatina, with dark and partial eruption, insensibility, delirium, and other cerebral symptoms.

ALCOHOL,-is a liquid composed of 91 per cent. by weight (94 per cent. by volume) of Ethyl Alcohol, C,H,HO, and 9 per cent. by weight (6 per cent. by volume) of water. Sp. gr. o.820 at 60° F., and 0.812 at 77° F. An inflammable, transparent, colorless, mobile and volatile liquid, of agreeable odor and burning taste. Obtained by the distillation of fermented saccharine fluids. Used in making all the Tinctures and Spirits; also in some of the Liniments, Liquors and Mixtures.

Preparations.

ALCOHOL DILUTUM, Diluted Alcohol,-consists of Alcohol and Distilled Water, equal parts of each. Sp. gr. 0.928 at 60° F.

SPIRITUS FRUMENTI, Whiskey,-obtained from the distillation of fermented grain, rye or corn (U. S.), barley (Scotch), and at least two years old. Sp. gr. 0.917 to 0.930. Has an alcoholic strength of 44 to 50 per cent. by weight; also Ethers developed by the action of acetic and butyric acids on the alcohol, and traces of Amylic Alcohol (fusil-oil) even in the best.

SPIRITUS VINI GALLICI, Brandy,-obtained from the distillation of fermented grapes, and at least four years old. Sp. gr. 0.925 to 0.941. Has an alcoholic strength of 39 to 47 per cent. by weight, and Enanthic and other Ethers developed by age. Pale Brandy is colored by the cask, the dark has caramel to color it. Is often prepared artificially by adding to high wines Acetic or Nitric Ether, Caramel, and Logwood or Catechu for astringency. SPIRITUS ODORATUS, Perfumed Spirit, Cologne-water,-prepared by adding

ALCOHOL.

51

to 800 parts of Alcohol, Water 158, Acetic Ether 2, Oil of Bergamot 16, Oil of
Lemon 8, Oil of Rosemary 8, Oil of Lavender Flowers 4, and Oil of Orange
Flowers 4 parts.
A perfume or ingredient of lotions.

VINUM ALBUM, White Wine,-should contain from 10 to 12 per cent. by weight of absolute alcohol, and is made by fermenting the unmodified juice of the grape, freed from seeds, stems and skins.

VINUM ALBUM FORTIUS, Stronger White Wine,-should contain 20 to 25 per cent. by weight.of absolute alcohol, and is made by adding I part of Alcohol to 7 of Vinum Album. that the stronger sherries are artificially made. Is simply a formal recognition of the fact Vina (Wines). Used to prepare the official

VINUM RUBRUM, Red Wine,-should contain from 10 to 12 per cent. by weight of absolute alcohol, and is made by fermenting the juice of colored grapes in presence of their skins.

VINUM AROMATICUM, Aromatic Wine,-consists of Stronger White Wine 94 per cent., with Lavender, Origanum, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage and Wormwood, of each 1 per cent.

Unofficial Alcoholic Preparations.

RECTIFIED SPIrit, sp. gr. 0.835,-has 85 per cent. by weight of absolute alcohol, and no fusil oil. Is often spoken of as "56 over proof," meaning that to reduce 100 volumes of it to the strength of proof spirit, requires 56 volumes of water.

PROOF SPIRIT, sp. gr. 0.920,-contains 49 per cent, by weight of absolute alcohol, with a peculiar oil and other foreign matters.

RUM,-is obtained from the distillation of fermented molasses, and has about 42 per cent. by weight of alcohol.

GIN, has about the same alcoholic strength as rum, and approaches very nearly to the official Spiritus Juniperi Compositus. It is usually distilled from rye or barley, and flavored, in Holland, with juniper berries and hops, in England, often with oil of turpentine, various cheap aromatics, acetate of lead, sulphate of zinc, cayenne pepper, etc. oil of juniper contained in it. Pure gin is slightly diuretic, from the

VINUM PORTENSE, Port Wine,—is not a natural wine, spirit being added during the process of manufacture, and the alcoholic strength raised to 30 or 40 per cent.

VINUM XERICUM, Sherry Wine,-a dry, spirituous white wine, generally made to order by the dealers, and having from 20 to 35 per cent. of alcohol. SPARKLING WINES, as Champagne, Hock, Catawba, -are more or less sweet, and charged with carbonic acid, being bottled before fermentation is completed and the grape-sugar all converted into alcohol. They contain 8 to 10 per cent. of absolute alcohol.

SWEET WINES, as Burgundy, Tokay, Muscatel, Malaga, Angelica, Madeira, etc., are of low alcoholic strength, 6 to 7 per cent., unless fortified.

LIGHT RED WINES, as Claret, Red Rhine, Concord,-have 5 to 7 per cent. alcohol, tannic acid, grape coloring matter, etc.

DRY ACID WINES, as Rhine and Moselle wines, California Hock, Ohio, and Kelley-Island Catawba,-in these fermentation is complete, and the alcoholic strength from 5 to 7 per cent.

BEER, ALE, and PORTER,-are fermented liquors, made from malted grain, with hops and other bitters added. Beer is made by slow fermentation, the yeast sinking; Ale by rapid fermentation, the yeast floating. Their alcoholic strength is from 2 to 3 per cent. in beer, to 4 to 6 per cent. in ale and porter,

-and they also contain malt extract, carbonic acid, lactic acid, various aromatics, potassium and sodium salts, etc.

KOUMISS, is obtained by the fermentation of milk, that of the mare being used in Tartary, where it is largely employed as a food. It contains from I to 3 per cent. of alcohol, sugar, lactic acid, casein, fat, salts, carbonic acid and ethers.

Principal Alcohols.

ETHYLIC ALCOHOL, Ethyl Hydrate, C,H,O,-Grain-spirit. METHYLIC ALCOHOL, Methyl Hydrate, CH,O,-Wood-spirit. AMYLIC ALCOHOL, Amyl Hydrate, C,H,,O,-Potato-spirit, Fusil Oil. Occurs also in the excessive distillation of fermented grain, after the ethylic alcohol has distilled over.

PHENYLIC ALCOHOL, Phenol, Carbolic Acid, CH,O,—from coal-tar (see page 21).

Composition, etc., of Alcohols.

An Alcohol is a volatile organic compound, which contains no N, has a great affinity for water, and reacts with acids, forming H,O and ethers. Alcohols are therefore analogous to the metallic hydrates, and Ethers to salts, They are obtained by distillation from the fermented product of grape-sugar, or some substance (as starch) easily converted into grape-sugar, which, in the presence of certain low vegetable organisms (as the yeast-plant), splits up into Alcohol and CO2; and may be made synthetically by shaking Olefiant gas (C,H,) with strong Sulphuric Acid, then diluting and distilling. C2H ̧ + H2O CHO, Ethylic Alcohol. Absolute Ethylic Alcohol, which is only used for chemical testing, is made by shaking Rectified Spirit with Potassium Carbonate, decanting, and distilling with slaked lime.

Alcohol very slowly oxidized forms Aldehyde (C,H,O), if less slowly, Acetic acid (C,H,O,), if quickly as in burning, CO, and H2O, which are in all cases the ultimate products of its continued oxidation.

Physiological Action.

Alcohol is a cerebral excitant and depressant and a narcotic poison. It is anaesthetic, antiseptic, and antiparasitic, a mild counter-irritant, and it coagulates albumen by abstracting its water. It is very diffusible, and is partly oxidized by the organism, part being excreted unchanged.

In small doses, Alcohol relaxes the vessels, stimulates the gastric glands, promotes appetite and digestion, lessens the elimination of waste-products (urea and CO,), causes a subjective sensation of heat, and slightly raises the body temperature. It briefly stimulates the heart, prolonging its systole and reducing the length of the diastole, and increases the functional activity of all the organs. A portion is oxidized by the organism (about 3jss in twenty-four hours), yielding force which is utilized as nervous, muscular and glandular power.

The continued use of small or moderate doses congests the

stomach and liver, over-stimulating the gastric glands and the hepatic cells to the production of pathological secretions, causing gastric catarrh and morning-vomiting of mucus, and impairing digestion. By irritation it sets up hyperplasia of the submucous connective tissue (sclerosis), especially in the stomach, brain, kidneys and liver (cirrhosis); produces fatty degeneration (steatosis) of the blood, the arterial walls, and the various organs, and depresses the heart and the arterial tension. Epilepsy, paraplegia, amaurosis and insanity may result from the long-continued use of spirits, alcohol having an especial affinity for the nervous system. The malt liquors (beer, ale, etc.) are less prone than the spirituous to affect the brain, but are even more apt to set up fatty degeneration of the liver and heart.

In large doses Alcohol precipitates pepsin and destroys its activity as a ferment, arrests digestion, produces exhilaration, intoxication, hallucinations, delirium, muscular incoördination, depression of the heart, lowered arterial tension and body temperature, abolished reflexes and coma.

A toxic dose, after a very brief period of excitement, produces insensibility, stertorous breathing, dilated or contracted pupils, complete muscular resolution, and death by paralysis of the heart and respiration.

Acute Alcoholism may be confounded with apoplexy, opium narcosis, concussion of the brain, and even acute pneumonia,the differential diagnosis being impossible to make in the stage of deep coma. The pupils are not a trustworthy indication, as in alcoholism they may be either dilated or contracted.

Alcohol is a food within narrow limits, 3jss per diem being the probable quantity which the adult organism can oxidize, more than this being probably poisonous, as it sets up structural changes in the various organs, and lowers the power of resistance to morbific influences. It has frequently caused an intractable form of phthisis. The very young and the very old stand more alcohol relatively than the adult. It has been proven to exist normally in the human organism.

Treatment of Acute Alcoholism.

The stomach should be evacuated, Ammonia by inhalation cautiously, warmth applied to the extremities, cold affusion to the head, faradism of the muscles of respiration. Milk, mucilaginous drinks, black coffee are useful afterwards. Lupuline as a substitute stimulant, Chloral (cautiously) to secure sleep, but is dangerous in old topers. Capsicum is excellent for the same purpose in 20- to 30-grain doses. Nutritious, digestible diet in fluid form and small quantity frequently repeated.