Clear, colorless, very mobile, flammable liquid; pleasant odor; burning taste. Absorbs water rapidly from air. d20/4 0.789. bp 78.5°. mp-114.1°. n20/D 1.361. Flash pt, closed cup: 13° C. Miscible with water and with many organic liquids. Keep tightly closed, cool, and away from flame! LD50 in young, old rats (g/kg): 10.6, 7.06 orally (Wisberg).

The terms 95% alcohol and alcohol (when used alone) refer to a binary azeotrope having a distillate composition of 95.57% ethyl alcohol (by wt) and bp 78.15°. Alcohol, USP is specified as containing not less than 92.3% and not more than 93.8% by weight, corresponding to not less than 94.9% and not more than 96.0% by vol of C2H5OH at 15.56°. d25/25 0.810; d 0.816 at 15.56° (60° F). Diluted alcohol, prepd from equal vols 95% alcohol and water, contains about 41.5% by wt or about 48.9% by vol of C2H5OH. d25/25 0.931; d 0.936 at 15.56° (60° F). See U.S.P. XXI, 22, 1530 (1985).

Caution: Nausea, vomiting, flushing, mental excitement or depression, drowsiness, impaired perception, incoordination, stupor, coma, death may occur, cf. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, R. E. Gosselin et al., Eds. (Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 5th ed., 1984) Section III, pp 166-171.

USE: Most ethyl alcohol is used in alcoholic beverages in suitable dilutions. Other uses are as solvent in laboratory and industry, in the manufacture of denatured alcohol, pharmaceuticals (rubbing compds, lotions, tonics, colognes), in perfumery, in organic synthesis. Octane booster in gasoline. Pharmaceutic aid (solvent).

THERAP CAT: Antiseptic.

THERAP CAT (VET): Antiseptic. To destroy nerve tissue. Solvent and dehydrating agent.