i8.& Devptijbire Colk. [Book VI. 



wholly be rejected in. the management of fuch fluids as 

 contain an acid capable of acting immediately on the me- 

 tal ; as fuch fluids, if impregnated with even a fmall por- 

 tion of lead, will be found, when taken into the body, 

 irreparably to injure the conftitutioh of perfons who are 

 in the habit of ufing them. Inilances in which lead re- 

 ceived into the body has produced the lingering and 

 painful diforder called the painter's colic, or the colic of 

 Poitou, are too numerous to leave any queftion as to the 

 pernicious effects of this metal. The liquors in which 

 an admixture of lead is moil to be apprehended are, 

 cyder, wines, and rum. In Devonfliire, from the great 

 life of cyder, and the improper methods of making it, 

 by which, eicher through careleffnefs or defign, lead 

 becomes diffolved in it, the diforder above mentioned 

 prevails fo much, as to have obtained the name of the 

 Devonfhire colic. 



It is unfortunately the cafe, that lead diffolved in 

 vinous liquors is capable of imparting a rich and agree- 

 able flavour to them, and even of reftoring them after 

 they have become considerably acidulated. The 

 temptation to ufe lead, therefore, in this way, is great; 

 and fo long as dealers are ignorant of the pernicious 

 effects of this metal, or want honefty to prefer the 

 fafety of their cuftomers to their own profit, there is 

 no reafon to hope that the habit of occafionally ufing 

 it will he abojifhed. The adulterating of wines in this 

 manner was fo common a few years ago in France, 

 that it was unfafe for ftrangers to ufe the wines which 

 were fold at their inns. It is very defirable to be 

 furnifhed with the means of detecting tljis perni- 

 cious ingredient, and the, following are recommended 

 by .an author, whofe {peculations even on the moil 

 common fubjects have ever been directed to the public 

 good, and are always productive of public advan- 

 I tage; 



