ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND STIMULANTS L59 



volatile oils, or ethers upon which depends chiefly the value of 

 the wine, and probably also to a considerable extent the di- 

 verse effects upon the human sj'stem of different wines of 

 similar alcoholic strength. The proportion of alcohol in wines 

 is about 10-25%. Strong wines have alcohol added after fer- 

 mentation. Champagne is a wine containing a large amount 

 of carbon dioxid gas. 



Distilled alcoholic beverages include spirituous liquors, such 

 as brandy, rum, whisky, and gin; and liqueurs such as ab- 

 sinthe. Spirituous liquors contain about 40-60% of alcohol. 

 Brand}' is made by distilling wine. Rum is distilled from 

 molasses. Whisky and gin are both distilled from a sort 

 of beer made from grain, generally maize, rye, or wheat. Gin 

 differs from whisky in being flavored with the volatile oil 

 of juniper berries (Fig. 154) and other aromatics. These 

 flavoring matters act powerfully upon the system, and make 

 gin an especiall}' dangerous liquor. 



Liqueurs are sweetened spirituous liquors containing pe- 

 culiar flavoring matters, usually volatile oils. In the case of 

 absinthe the flavor is due chiefl\' to the volatile oil of worm- 

 wood (Fig. 155). This is a very powerful drug, which, in 

 comparatively small amount, produces violent convulsions. 

 Absinthe acts similarly and is justly regarded as the most 

 pernicious of all alcoholic beverages. 



All food-adjuncts, as we have seen, are taken with food 

 primarily for their stimulating effect on the system. This 

 effect is shown by more copious flow of the digestive juices, 

 and by generally increased activity of the digestive organs. 

 The very savor of food as we say "makes the mouth water." 

 This is not because stimulating substances bring any con- 

 siderable amount of energy into the body, but because they 

 set free energy which the body has derived from nutritive 

 substances and stored ready for use. Yet, since energy must 

 be expended in digestion, a certain degree of stimulation may 

 be helpful or even necessary. On the other hand, since the 

 release of too much energy works harm, overstimulation is 

 sure to prove injurious; and the danger of overstimulating 

 is the greater from the fact that stimulation is pleasurable 

 even when carried beyond the point of safety. This point 



