Alkali Treatment of Methyl Alcohol Poisoning

For sixty years methyl alcohol has been recognized as a poison causing either death or blindness in a large percentage of cases. Recently we had under our care two groups of patients totaling 31 who had partaken of mixtures containing methyl alcohol and who showed clinical evidence of methyl alcohol poisoning. Of this group 5 died within three hours after admission to the hospital. The rest recovered and were returned to duty. It is our purpose to present the clinical and pathologic data found in this group and to demonstrate the value of the use of alkali therapy in the treatment of methyl alcohol poisoning. In 1880 methyl alcohol was found to be toxic regardless of the port of entry, including the skin. The amount of methyl alcohol necessary to poison was found to vary considerably, depending on the tolerance of the individual. One man drank 1 pint of 10