C 119 ] 



ihe increase of temperature occasioned by the forma- 

 tion of one quantity of carbonic acid occasions the 

 combination of the elements of another quantity. 



The results obtained by different chemists in ex- 

 periments on the analysis of alcohol differ so much, 

 that no general conclusions can be drawn from them. 

 If it be supposed that one proportion of carbonic acid 

 is formed in the fermentation of sugar ; then accord- 

 ing to Dr. Thomson's analysis of sugar, which gives 

 its composition as 3 proportions of carbon, 4 of oxy- 

 gene, and 8 of hydrogene, alcohol would consist of 

 2 proportions of carbon, 2 of oxygene, and 8 of hy- 

 drogene ; and it might be considered as containing the 

 same elements as two proportions of olefiant gas, with 

 two proportions of oxygene. 



Alcohol in its purest known form, is a highly 

 inflammable liquid, of specific gravity 796, at the 

 temperature of 60 ; it boils at about 170 Fahrenheit. 

 This alcohol is obtained by repeated distillation of the 

 strongest common spirit from the salt called by che- 

 mists muriate of lime, it having been previously heat- 

 ed red hot. 



The strongest alcohol obtained by the distillation 

 of spirit without salts, has seldom a less specific gravi- 

 ty than 825 at 60 5 and it contains, according to 

 Lowitz's experiments, 89 parts of the alcohol of 796, 

 and 11 parts of water. The spirit established 2^ proof 

 spirit by act of parliament passed in 1762, ought to 

 have the specific gravity of 9 16; and this contains 

 nearly equal weights of pure alcohol and water. 



