On the elimination of alcohol

Previous to the year 1860 it was the generally received opinion that the greater portion of any alcohol taken was oxidized in the system, and only small fraction eliminated unaltered. In that year, however, Messrs. Perrin and Lallemand published an elaborate memoir on the subject, in which they maintained that all, or at least nearly all, the alcohol taken is eliminated. unaltered. This opinion was soon very generally adopted, notwithstanding the fact that Messrs. Perrin and Lallemand never succeeded in recovering, from the excretions, more than a very small fraction of the alcohol consumed, although very large doses were frequently given. However, the missing alcohol was easily accounted for as loss, occasioned by its ready volatility. Soon after Dr. Anstie took up the subject, and, on the strength of numerous qualitative experiments, arrived at the conclusion, which he was the first to publish in this country, that the originally received opinion was correct, viz. that a small portion only of any alcohol taken is eliminated unaltered. After this, Dr. Thudichum and the author in this country, and Ichulinus abroad, undertook a number of quantitative experiments which proved that a minute fraction only of the alcohol taken is eliminated through the kidneys. Owing to these researches, general opinion gradually reverted to the original notion.