[ B» ] 



toes, which, for want of (kill or caution In the operators, 



was intolerably naufeous. As others may fall into the fame 



errors in attempting to perform the fame operation, I fhall 



hazard a few remarks on the cautions neceflary to be ob- 



ferved in attempting to extract vinous fpirits from this or 



other roots; for want of attending to which particulars, 



many attempts of this kind have no doubt failed. 



r. 



§. ii. 



Every philosophic enquirer knows that vinous 

 fpirits are entirely the produce of fermentation, and 

 cannot be obtained from any fubftance whatever, 

 till it has undergone that chemical procefs: but 

 many of thofe who attempt experiments of this 

 kind, are neither fufficiently aware of the neceflity 

 of this previous ftep, nor acquainted with the means 

 of exciting it, or of conducting it properly, which 

 frequently fruftrates their attempts. 



If any vegetable in an unfermented (late be dif- 

 tilled, there is, for the mod part, obtained by that 

 operation, a portion of native ejfential oil, flrongly 

 impregnated with the peculiar tafte or flavour of the 

 fubftance from which it is obtained : but if the fub- 

 ftance be properly fermented, that efTential oil dis- 

 appears, and in its ftead a new fubftance is obtained 

 by diftillation, altogether different from the former 

 in many refpecls. This fubftance is called vinous 

 Spirits, or alcohol, when in its higheft rectified ftate. 



But 



