Message no. 1

From:	Reese Laundry <RL3286@******.ACS.BROCKPORT.EDU>
Subject:	Alcohol Vs. Synthahol
Date:	Mon, 1 May 1995 11:10:45 EDT

I've spent some time following the ramblings og various pseudo-
scientistist out there :), and felt that it was time to put in
my two cents as a biologist. So, IMHO, here goes:

1. All true alcohols are broken down by the same enzyme, called
alcohol dehydrogenase. The end products are what produces the
effects, be it intoxication or toxicity. The different end
products are what makes methanol more toxic than ethanol.
The enzyme itself is quite non-specific, so if "synthahol"
were a true alcohol-type chemical, it would be processed the
same way.

2. Now, it is possible that "synth" is not really an alcohol at all.
In that case, we may get intoxicating effects, but by a completely
diferent mechanism. They just call it synthahol because of the
effects, not due to a chemical relation.

3. So, if synthahol is still an alcohol, an allergy would still have
the negative effects. If it isn't, the all those allergic
metahumans out there can drink and enjoy!

4. One final note, based on all this, in RL you can't be alergic to
ethanol, but not methanol. But it is a game after all! :)

Enjoy!

--
Reese Laundry aka The Lorax ("I speak for the trees!")
RL3286@******.acs.brockport.edu
State University of New York at Brockport