CIDER FROM APPLES AND PEARS. 341 



spreading as the cider is drawn down, thereby preventing the air 

 from coming in contact with the surface of the cider and con- 

 verting it into acetic acid. 



We will here call attention to salicylic acid, which as an agent 

 for checking fermentation might be even more effective than sul- 

 phite of lime or powdered mustard-seed. The " salicylic acid 

 question," as it is called, has received a great deal of attention 

 for several years in Europe, and much has been written pro and 

 con on the question of the propriety of its use as a preserving 

 agent in articles of food and drink. In France its use as a pre- 

 servative in any form of food or drink was forbidden by minis- 

 terial decree on the 7th of February, 1881. This decree was 

 based upon the decision of the consulting committee of hygiene 

 that its constant use was dangerous to health. 



In Germany its use is prohibited except in beers intended for 

 export to other countries where its use is allowed. 



Its prohibition in France called forth a great deal of opposition, 

 and experiments were made and published indicating that its con- 

 stant use in small doses exerted no injurious influence upon the sys- 

 tem. In this country but little attention seems to have been given 

 to the use of salicylic acid as a preservative, and, as far as we know, 

 no experiments have been made with it in checking fermentation 

 in cider. Whether its use for many years and without regard to 

 age, sex, or personal idiosyncrasy is harmless or not, is at least 

 still an open question. Moreover, the quantity used is so ex- 

 ceedingly small that its injurious effect upon the health of 

 moderate drinkers of beer, wine or cider would seem rather 

 doubtful. For wine the limits of its addition lie between 0.02 

 and 0.1 gramme per liter. For use dissolve the salicylic acid to 

 a concentrated solution best in pure spirits of wine free from fusel 

 oil or in the wine itself and add the determined quantity. To 

 find the latter dissolve 5 grammes of crystallized salicylic acid in 

 100 cubic centimetres of spirits of wine or of wine and add a 

 series of quantities of this solution, commencing with 1 cubic 

 centimetre and gradually increasing to 2 cubic centimetres, to the 

 wine. These quantities represent 0.5 to 0.1 gramme of salicylic 

 acid per liter. A larger content of sugar in proportion to the 

 content of alcohol requires somewhat more salicylic acid. 



