206 Physiology. 



will produce more alcohol than that of sour fruit. Then, 

 too, we must remember that the growth of the ferments is 

 so rapid that a small number of ferments soon becomes a 

 large number. 



Cider. Ripe apples are a healthful fruit. There is no 

 alcohol in a sound apple. But the juice of the apple while 

 it is in the fruit, and that same juice after it is pressed out 

 and changed by the ferments, are very different in char- 

 acter. In the latter the ferments have changed the sugar 

 to alcohol. Under ordinary circumstances, alcohol is 

 formed so rapidly after the juice is pressed out of the 

 crushed fruit, that what is often called sweet cider contains 

 2 per cent or more of alcohol, and is, therefore, by no 

 means a safe beverage. The amount of alcohol in a barrel 

 of cider when it is put in the cellar in the fall may be 

 small, but as the ferments keep on with their work, the 

 quantity of alcohol increases until it may reach as much as 

 10 per cent of the whole. Besides the ordinary cider 

 obtained from apples, a cider made from pears and called 

 perry is used. 



Cider is not only intoxicating, but experience has proved 

 that some of the worst forms of disease result from the 

 habitual drinking of cider. It also leads to the desire for 

 stronger drinks. 



Fermented Drinks. All the alcoholic liquors are the 

 result of alcoholic fermentation of various substances. 

 Such liquors may be classed in three groups, wines, 

 malt liquors, and distilled liquors. 



Wines. The wines are the result of fermentation in 

 the juice that has been pressed out of grapes or other 

 fruit which is rich in sugar. This fermentation was, in all 

 probability, discovered very early by the human race, for 



