Alcohol. Appendix B. Anhydrous, or Absolute Alcohol.

Prep. Ordered to be made by mixing one pint of rectified spirits of wine, with eighteen ounces of freshly-burnt lime, and distilling with a chloride-of-zinc bath; the first ounce and a half should be rejected, and not more than sixteen fluid ounces drawn off by distillation.

Prop. & Comp. A limpid, colourless liquid, of a pungent, spirituous odour; very volatile; sp. gr. 0.795, rapidly absorbing water; it is a very powerful solvent of certain substances, as alkaloids, pure alkalies, volatile oils, iodine, etc.; it does not dissolve common salt, which is soluble in ordinary rectified spirit. Composition (C4 H5 O + HO), or hydrate of oxide of ethyl. It is not rendered turbid when mixed with water, and does not give rise to a blue colour when in contact with anhydrous sulphate of copper; it is entirely volatilized by heat; these tests indicating freedom from oily matters, or other impurities.

Use. It is never administered as a medicine, but is employed as a solvent, and to test the purity of some chemical substances.