Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-24

large amount. For instance, some wines of noted or favorite brands are produced in the limited amount of a pipe or two @ year, yet these brands may generally be purchased in large quantity in all the principal markets of the world. The advances in chemistry have been such that these liquors can be produced more cheaply and rapidly by adding to a pure spirit either davors and colors identical with those contained in the original article or satisfactory substitutes for them. Much use-a less rhetoric and unnecessary excitement have sometimes been brought out on this topic. Temperance advocates, not content with the sound reasons which may be produced against the use of alcohol, have sometimes at- tempted to frighten the community by stories of the terrible and poisonous chemicals that are put into iquor''
 In referring to the materials employed now in the adulteration of liquors, the doctor says no very serious injury is done by them. In the same breath, however, he declares that the frequently repeated allusion to pure iq- uors as objectionable is without justification. In this connection he says: 'sThe things put into common drinks, like those put into many articles of food are cheats rather than poisons and have seen no evidence to prove that Scotch whiskey obtained from scienti-
 ic compounder is more death-deaing than that which really originated in the land O cakes The basis of many ordinary spiritu- ous and vinous liquors is the strong alcohol known as 'highwine, and obtained by distil- lation of fermented grain, especially corn. This is much above pfoof-that is, contains much more than half it's weight of alcohol and is contaminated with rough odors and fusel oil By the use of charcoal and re- distillation this material is made pure and nearly inodorous, and constitutes rectifed spirits, or, when quite free from odor, cologne spirit Manufacturing druggists prepare standard havoring solutions, which are to be added in the quantity of a few drops to the above inodorous spirit. If the desired liquor is colored, some vegetable juice (cherry juice) or burnt sugar is added Colors of a disa- greeable or even injurious character may be used. Anlline red, for instance, perhaps un- injurious in itself, might contain arsenic, and do harm. The compounder can purchase secret preparation for giving 8 bead (power to hold bubbles for a time.) This appears to me to contain nitro-benzole or artificial oil of bitter almonds. To avoid the expense of 'body.'"
 To demonstrate the processes employed in making spurious liquors the doctor produced small quantity of rectifed spirits and mixed with 1t several drops of burnt sugar coloring matter used by the trade This gave the spirits beautiful tint that resembled good brand of old whiskey, He then added few drops of brandy essence, and by agitating the liquid briskly for moment announced that he was making right rapidly good arti- cle of cognac brandy. It was still imperfect, as it lacked body and ripeness, which time gives to real liquor but the experimenter said time was too slow for the trade, so that he would do as was done every day, and thereupon added a small quantity of a stand ard "age and body" preparation which the trade furnishes. Having done this the doc tor said all his bottle now required was 8 label, certifying that the article is livery old cognac brandy" made by the famous French distillers.
 ''The age of iquor," said Dr. Leffman, lis quality of importance, and even this may be a subject of deceit. By keeping the liquor at @ moderately high temperature effects may be produced in a few days which by the ordinary process could not be accom- plished in months. This, then, is the gene ral nature of the vinous and spirituous liquors which are in our market. If the con- ditions are considered injurious, it might be question whether in the medical use of al- cohol it would not be better to rely upon the pure neutral spirit itself. Malt liquors are important articles of consumption in this city. There are less malt liquors now than former ly, for glucose or starch is much used as a substitute for malt. Substitutes for the bit ter of hops are employed Tannin is among the substances purchased by brewers largely, and it is probably used for this purpose. The use of strychnia and picric acid as substi tutes for the vegetable bitters proper is in great part imaginary.
 ''The most important point in regard to the malt liquors is the percentage of alcohol. We have estimated this in some of the mostly y-used malt liquors, with the following results: Bergner & Engel per cent; Berg doll & Psotta, per cent; Schlitz's Milwau- kee, per cent Jacob Conrad, per cent. bottled porter, 5.4 per cent"