"Matt" wrote in message
...

"Alex" wrote in message
...
Meths drinking indeed was quite common,amongst alcholics in scotland in
the
50,s and 60,s can not vouch for anywhere else


My physics teacher many years ago claimed tramps mixed it with tomato
ketchup to make it more palatable. Having tasted a fingertip dipped in
neat
meths I have trouble believing that. He said they called it "jemmy" or was
it "jimmy"?

Matt



I remember watching two wino's in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh, being over the
moon when they scraped together enough money to buy a pint of milk to mix
with their small bottle of meths. Funnily enough both had perfect white
teeth and a full head of thick hair and I don't know if it was all down to
being pickled from the inside out, or if it was just because they were young
and looked a lot older. (?) Anyway.

Meths can be used as a very good cleaning solution on many things and is
great for getting particularly greasy marks off. I've also seen it used as
a thinner for thick metal paints and coatings, and also as a primer for old
paraffin fuelled blow lamps when a cloth was dipped in it and wrapped around
the burner tube to preheat it. Burned for quite a while if memory serves
right.