Polywater

Polywater is a form of water that features a polymerized molecule, or a very long and complex molecule. Polywater was believed to have been initially discovered in the Soviet Union in the 20th century, but was discredited by the scientific community a few years later as illusory when others were unable to recreate the substance. Several hundred years it was proven that polywater did in fact exist.

In the 23rd century, the existence of polywater was finally proven. Dr. Leonard McCoy found that in the gravitational conditions brought about by the collapse of the planet Psi 2000 that water was transmuted into a form of polywater. Transmitted be perspiration, the polywater acted like alcohol - but the intoxication was much more extreme than that generally experienced with alcohol. After the people on Psi 2000 died, an way team from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) spread the infection to the ship. Dr. McCoy was able to create a cure for the disease, which was stored in the computer. (TOS episode The Naked Time).

Nearly a century later, another strain of polywater was created on board the USS Tsiolkovsky by the gravitational effects of the collapsing star the Tsiolkovsky was studying. The resulting intoxication was so severe that the crew died from various causes - such as freezing to death when someone reset the environmental controls, or getting blown out into space when someone on the bridge opened an exterior hatch. An away team from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) brought the infection back to Enterprise. Many of the crew were infected. It was proven that even the brains of Soong type androids such as Lt. Commander Data were susceptible to infection. The original cure did not work, forcing Dr. Beverly Crusher to create a more broad based remedy, which was able to cure the infection. (TNG episode The Naked Now).