218 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. 
Italy.—The law relating to wine is similar to that of Austria, 
and prohibits preservatives or any substance not natural to the 
grape being added to wine.—Codice Penale 1 Gennaio, 18901°. 
Belgium.—On the 28th November, 1899, a law was passed 
defining wine to be “the product of the alcoholic fermentation of 
fresh grape-must,” the addition of any foreign substance is re- 
garded as an adulteration. The addition of salicylic acid or other 
antiseptics is expressly prohibited as dangerous to the public 
health11. 
Denmark.—The present amended wine law dates from April, 
1894. The addition to wine of salicylic acid, boric acid, organic 
colouring substances, impure spirit, saccharin, artificial ethers, or 
flavouring essences, is prohibited?!*. 
Austria.—The present law dates from 21st June, 1880, and 
absolutely prohibits the addition of any preservatives or anti- 
ferments to wine, or of any substances not existing naturally in 
grape juice.! 2. 
Romania.—A very complete food and liquor law came into 
force in Romania in 1895. According to this law the addition 
to wine of boric acid and its compounds, salicylic acid and its 
compounds, artificial wine essences, colouring substances (or- 
vanic or inorganic), glycerin, impure spirits, artificial sweeten- 
ing substances, bisulphites and sulphites, is prohibited. The 
maximum limit fer potassium sulphate is fixed at 2 grammes per 
litre, sodium chloride 0.5 grammes per litre. The sale of diseased 
or unsound wine is also forbidden? 2*. 
United States.—The law relating to wine is based on those of 
Germany and Austria. | 
California.—The law prohibits the addition of any preservative 
to wine??. 
It is evident that when all the leading wine-producing coun- 
tries in the world have enacted laws prohibiting so definitely the 
use of salicylic acid and other anti-ferments, Victoria cannot 
afford to go on retailing its wine in such a way that 40 per cent. 
of it would be absolutely condemned throughout Europe. 
It seems a pity that tie Victorian public should not receive the 
same protection from the incompetent wine producer or vendor 
as the European consumer, for the fact that practically all Euro- 
pean wine is produced and marketed in a sound state without 
the aid of salicylic acid or other preservatives, shows clearly 
to Le Adulterazione del Vino. D. Pinolini. 1890. (The Italian wine law was amended 
in 1990.) See Gazetta Ufficiale, 1297. 1900. : 
11 E. Grognard. Recueil des Lois et Réglements relatifs au Commerce des Denrées 
Alimentaires, pp. 86-93. Bruxelles. 1900 b 
11* Ausfiihrungsverordnung zu dem Gesetze vom 1. April 1894. Verdffentl. des 
Kaiserl. Gesundheitsamtes, Berlin. 1895. 2 js 
12 Reichsgesetzblatt fiir die im Reichsrathe vertretenen Kdénigreiche und Linder. 
Jahrgang 1880. 
12* tKuletinul directiunei generale a serviciului sanitar, 1895. Nr. 18-19. 
13 Report of the Viticultural Commissioners. California. 1887. 
