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DENTAL MEDICINE.
274 —— — — —
of the solution (1.50) to a glass of water. An aqueous solution
(i.ioo) will destroy all pathogenic microbes within five minutes.
Dr. Harlan states that he has used actol in suppurating pockets
on the sides of roots of teeth with excellent results.
It will stain the cementum, but such stains are as easily re-
moved as those from nitrate of silver. Actol causes no pain
when used as strong as a twenty per cent, solution.
ALCOHOL.
Formula.—CjHjOH. Sp. gr. of officinal alcohol, 0.820 ; of
rectified spirit Spiritus Rectificatus, 0.838 ; of stronger alcohol
— Alcohol Fortius^ 0.817; of diluted alcohol Alcohol D'llutum
(equal parts of alcohol and distilled water), 0.928.
Derivation.—Alcohol is obtained from vinous or fermented
liquors by repeated distillations, and, in its oflicinal form, contains
about fifteen per cent, of water. It is colorless, inflammable,
wholly vaporizable by heat, and unites in all proportions with
water and ether. It frequently contains such impurities as fusel
or amylic alcohol (obtained from fermented grain or potatoes)
;
the presence of which can be detected by agitating the alcohol
with sulphuric acid, when the former becomes colored.
Stronger Alcohol.— Alcohol Fortius— Absolute Alcohol— is ob-
tained by agitating the oflficinal alcohol with heated carbonate of
potassium. Sp. gr., 0.794, when containing no water.
Medical Properties and Action.—All the different forms of alco-
hol, including brandy Spiritus Vini Gallici (the spirit obtained
from fermented grapes by distillation, and containing 45 to
55
per cent., by volume, of absolute alcohol); whisky Spiritus
Frumenti (the spirit obtained from fermented grain by distillation,
and containing from 50 to 58 per cent., by volume, of absolute
alcohol) ; wine Vinum (the fermented juice of the grape, and
containing alcohol in varying proportions) are powerful diffusible
stimulants, increasing the action of the heart and arteries, excit-
ing the nervous and vascular systems, and causing a general ex-
hilaration of spirits. Excessive quantities produce the effect of
narcotic poisons, ending in coma and death.
The habitual use of alcoholic drinks causes most injurious ef-