The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-06-13


or spirits in any cases OF fever Inflammation, debl.
NY, malaria, or declining old age as they do not
know how to direct patients to procure The same
| true 10 prescription. The proposed law defines
pure wines, lncnding cderl and requires that all
PACKAGES OF the same, IN order 10 be exempt from
taxation. shall he marked rs "rure according 10
United States Standard" with penalty OF heavy
| line and Imprisonment for knowingly placing false
| marks. Such marks, backed by the fear OF the
penalty and the connscatlon OF Illicit goods, wonld
be worth more TO the medical practitioner than any
nuinier OF chemical analyses, which latter In the
case of articles OF commerce are always predicaied
npon samples specially selected by the producer or
| tradesman, AMI cannot relate practically 10
| the goods actually labeled with testimonials.
Asto the most prominent features " spurious
and adnlteratcd wines Mr. weimorc explained them
| In null the following being brief resume:
FitSt-'rhc characteristic feature OF ordinary
| table wines dry wines, ouch as clarets, Burgun-
des hooks, etc., Is the absence OF distilled spirits,
which can never enter into them sufficiently TO
materially affect their strength, exception purposes
| Of imposition. True wines excepting fortified
sweet wines ana sherrlcs, which are never uscd
| except sparngly) are fcrmcned fruit juices con-
lnining the properties OF fresh fruits, with ciminn-
ton OF Preventative principles that cause siOmachlc
disorders, together with consequent evils, such as
govt, neuralgia pains rheumatism, torpid livcrs, aud
urinary complaints. Such wines are distinguished
again into white and rcd, the former being juices
fcrmcntcd separately from the skins, seeds, ami
pulp ani the latter owing their tonic properties to
the fermentation OF the whole fruit, especially to
the eNiractvc principles OF the seeds and skins,
associated with the c,lcrs naturally derived
thereby, the natural cOors being the indications of
the methods OF production.
second-rherapeulcally and hyeiencally there IL
vast difference between the physiological and nu-
triiive effects OF natural wines and liquids contain
ing equal amounts OF distilled Spirits even though
the spirits were derived from the wines with which
such liquids are composed. The ordinary wine
drinkcr, who uses such beverage at the table,
habltually, with .healthful and agreeable results
would soon ruin his constitution well as pervett
his taste, II In place Of natural wine there inn
posed upon him an Initiated article, the alcoholic
strength OF which was derived from distilled spirits
There are also equal great differences between the
effects $rom the constant use OF white and red
wines. The consumer who demands claret, know
Ing Its rational use aud s tonic properties would he
gricvousy Imposed upon II he were to drink bev-
erage falsely colorcd, saying nothing even OF the
injury he might receive directly from such a'lnltcra
tions.
.. Honest sound wines, when have been kept long
enough to free themselves from Preventative mat
All an'scptcs, such as salcylc acid ETC., arc used
because they cause destruction OF, suspend action
OF germ life, the organic lie OF fermentation; when
used carclessly or habliuilly such destroyers OF
lower forms Injurious to the higher forms OF lie
nnd are therefore inadmssible rs q part OF daily
food, or OF medicine IN which their presence Is not
suspected.
l. The natural fruit acids AMI salts, tsuch as b,ar-
trate OF potash, cream OF tartar, etc. found In nat
ural fruit juice AMI wines are combined In the labu-
ratory Of nature as myseriousy M are The mineral
constituents OF natural medical waters. II Is inpos-
shc Tor the chemist tn separate these properties and
then 10 reproduce the originals for the purposes OF
the physician, or for alimenta,ion. limitations of
wine on the preiellsnn OF chemical reproduction OF
nature are the worst ahomnaii0ns that can fall be-
lore the innocent purchaser, and may even he the
most litllcult Tor the chemist to detect,
3. The imitation OF the natural others (bou1ueD
anl nivors OF old hne wines cannot replace the true
Indications OF natural old Wines they may cheat the
xperlence but are alwaya revealed To- the senses
OF the expert. Natural others OF old wines const-
tute largely the value of the same In their influence
upon the nervous constitution, being also guides to
determine the true nature of products.
q. Tho foregoing principles suggest the principal
objects for imitation and ainlieration and outline
the necessary basis for legislation Alcohol (gener-
ally the cheapest and worst for consunplon) and
water are used As foundation for building im,a-
tons, or ~ means for enlarging the volume of
natural wines, In the latter case the object In view
being To double. or "stretch, products TO he sold at
lcss cost than natural Wine Sncli n practice per-
mits merchants IN New orleans ana other places To
buy cheap California wine at wholesale at fty cents
per gallon and to retail II, delivered to consumers
houses at thirty-six cents per galon the consumer
objects To the quality, hut Is pached by the price,
aud blames the California vineyards, which gradln-
ally lose custom. AS the consumer linds such wine
fortified In color to stand the water; hence the use
of anlline and other dyes Injurious to health as well
as neceptlve as 10 quality such mixtures are gen.
or less with compounds of fruit Juices imported for
the sake OF the alcohol contained In them, smuggled
INTO me country ny perlnsson OF the customs OIL
GERS. such mixtures with water enter into fermen-
tatlons and tend to vinegar easily. Hence the use
bright. False spirit, false color, AMI anisenics
are the chief elements IN spurious wines, without
which there wond he little proit To the dark lantern
invaders OF the iresie repas AMI the masked cheats
of the drug store. Other authorizations and concoc.
lions ont of whole cloth may he enumerated hut they
Millions Of gallons Of such material either alone or
mixed IN cheaper natural wine, are produced and
sold IN this country. Az an instance Of the magn-
tue OF the "bisincss, the public records show an
importation OF more than 600 900 gallonso alcnhnln
fruit juices Into New York and even IO,001 Into San
Francisco. Each gallon when mSed with wine ami
stre!cted' with waller represents two gallons, and
me Wlo!e, REPRESENTING steal. from the puhlil
treasury OF nearly million dollars annually,
recent onlrial analysis OF u large number OF
samples 81 those socal!ed imported fruit juices
made by the State Analyst OF California the prnfes-
spr OF Chemistry AT the state University, shows
that they commonly contain artificial cnnrng mat
tiers as well ms alcohol.
An analysis, made by the game Ofticer OF sample
of stock wine from leading house In New Orleans
shows aniline dyes anl sacylic acid. Another by
same Oflicer shows sacylic acid In a SOcallpd I'M
fermented wine sold In New York. An exnmina-
ton OF sweet elders held for summer consumption
would show badly for the public to antlscptics,
and, as to distilled spirits, hard cider In localopon
districts has become substitute for whisky by
cessNc fOrticntion with cheap alcohol.
The Medical Society, OF this District, has done well
to take this question In hand. This committee Will
he influential when addressing Congress In favor of
the bills OF the Wine producers.