110 ELEMENT AE Y PHYSIOLOG Y. 



The water is first changed to vapor and this in 

 turn is condensed to a liquid again. This is called 

 distillation. 



Now, if a quantity of wine or hard cider be 

 placed in a vessel with an opening something like 

 the spout of a tea-kettle, and heat applied, distilla- 

 tion will take place. But alcohol will boil, that is, 

 change to vapor, at a temperature of 173, while 

 water requires 212. Hence, the alcohol will be 

 vaporized and pass off as steam before the watery 

 portions will have reached a sufficient temperature. 

 Thus, the vapor of alcohol can be condensed and 

 collected as almost or quite pure alcohol. But suffi- 

 cient heat may be applied to drive off some of the 

 water with the alcohol. When about as much water 

 is driven off as alcohol, the result of the process of 

 distillation is brandy, whisky or rum. 



Thus, we have seen that there are 



Two Classes 



or strong two kinds, or classes, of strong drink, 



the pernicious element in each being 

 alcohol. One kind is called fermented liquors, such 

 as wine, beer, ale and cider, and contain from three 

 to twenty per cent, of alcohol. The other kind is 

 known as distilled liquors, rum, whisky and brandy, 

 containing as high as fifty-five per cent, of alcohol. 

 An appetite for these liquors is the cause of more 

 poverty, unhappiness, wickedness and crime than all 

 other causes combined. We will now consider their 

 effects upon the human system, 



