Ethyl alcohol, the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks, it is a drug that acts as a depressant. There are four types of alcoholic beverages:
- Beer contains 3—6% alcohol
- Wine contains 12—14% alcohol
- Fortified wines (for example sherry, port) have alcohol added and contain 18—20 % alcohol
- Liquor (for example, scotch, rum, bourbon, vodka) contains 40—50% alcohol, which is expressed as degrees of proof. A liquor’s alcohol content is half its proof. An 80 proof liquor is thus 40% alcohol
A word About Alcohol Poisoning
Before the celebrations begin, take a few minutes to reflect about the dangers of alcohol poisoning.
What Is It? Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex, which prevents choking. Someone who drinks a fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop breathing. Even if someone survives an alcohol overdose, he or she can suffer irreversible brain damage. Rapid binge drinking (which often happens on a bet or a dare) is especially dangerous because the victim can drink a fatal dose before losing consciousness.
A person's blood alcohol concentration can continue to rise even while he or she is passed out. Even after someone stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the blood¬stream and circulate throughout the body. A person who appears to be sleeping it off may be in real danger.
What Should I Look For? Critical signs of alcohol poisoning include mental confu¬sion, stupor, coma, or the person cannot be roused; vomiting; seizures; slow (fewer than eight breaths per minute) or irregular (10 seconds or more between breaths) breath¬ing; and hypothermia (low body tempera¬ture), bluish skin colour, and paleness.
What Should I Do? Know the danger signals. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, don't wait for all the critical signs to be present. If you suspect an alco¬hol overdose, call the fire department immediately for help.