356 FOOD AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



wine. It allows of better incorporation with the wine if it is added to 

 the must before fermentation. In either case, however, it precipitates 

 a part of the constituents originally dissolved, lowers the quantity of ex- 

 tract, deprives the wine of its original bouquet and flavor, and renders it 

 more heady and intoxicating. The least objectionable addition is alco- 

 hol distilled from grapes; but the high price of the latter renders it much 

 less likely to be used than corn spirit, which contains considerably more 

 fusel oil. The practice of fortification prevails especially in the more 

 southern wine-growing countries, as Portugal, Spain, and the South of 

 France. Growers in those countries declare it to be a necessary addi- 

 tion in their warm climates for the preservation of the wines, as these 

 latter contain a considerable quantity of unfermented sugar, which 

 would soon produce the souring of the wine if the alcoholic content were 

 not greater than can be obtained by fermentation. In France, for ordi- 

 nary red wines, the addition of alcohol is decided by the relation of the 

 alcohol to the extract (sugar deducted) exceeding sensibly the relation 

 of 4 to 4.5. In Germany the relation of alcohol to glycerine is relied 

 upon, the maximum proportion allowed being 100 parts by weight of al- 

 cohol to 14 of glycerine and the minimum 100 to 7. Wines going above 

 the maximum are condemned as having suffered an addition of glycer- 

 ine, those going below the minimum as being fortified with alcohol. 

 With "sweet wines" these figures do not apply, as they are based on 

 natural wines made in Germany. Moreover, no definite stand is taken 

 upon the question of the fortification of the sweet wines from other 

 countries sold in Germany. The Bavarian chemists require the con- 

 tent of alcohol and sugar in sweet wines used for medicinal purposes to 

 be shown on the label, a very excellent provision, for no two samples of 

 sweet wine can be depended upon to be of similar composition, and the 

 physician is altogether in doubt as to what sort of a compound he is 

 administering to his patient under the name of "port" or "sherry." 

 Any wine with a higher percentage of alcohol than 15 per cent, by 

 volume (12 per cent, by weight) can be safely declared to be fortified, 

 for it has been shown that fermentation is arrested when the alcoholic, 

 content reaches about that point. 



The preservative agents added to wine are entirely similar to those 

 used in malt liquors. The subject of the use of salicylic acid has been 

 so thoroughly investigated in the portion of the bulletin devoted to beer 

 that a further treatment of the subject is unnecessary. The methods 

 for detection and estimation already given for beer are applied equally 

 as well to wine. The same may be said of sulphites and bonix. 



Mineral additions to wine are generally introduced accidentally, the 

 strong acidity of the liquid making it very liable to contamination 

 from metallic vessels, pipes, &c. Lead oxide was sometimes added to 

 wine to counteract excessive acidity in former days, and Ilassall gives 

 cases of deaths traced to the use of such wines. Sucli additions belong 

 probably to the adulterations of Mir past, although Mir possibility of 



