Bonnie Logsdon
Sharon Allen, a doctoral student in the Program in Occupational Therapy, studies in the “Health Conditions” course what happens when grain alcohol is poured on an egg. The demonstration is part of a lecture on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which is a common and preventable cause of intellectual disability. A small amount of grain alcohol is poured over a raw egg to demonstrate alcohol’s effect on live tissue. After a short time, the egg white changes from clear to solid white, as if it were being cooked. Although it does not demonstrate the exact mechanism of how drinking alcohol can affect the fetus of a pregnant woman, it gives students an idea of the powerful effect of alcohol. Looking on are (from right) occupational therapy students Eva Tweedy, Chau Nguyen and C.J. Burhans.