Spirituous Liquors. 169 



finished, the woad is allowed to fall down into large lumps ; used 

 as a blue dye-stuff. 



Indigo, Anil. ImUcum. From the leaves and young shoots of 

 several species of Indigofera and Nerium, by soaking them either 

 in cold water, or still better in water kept warm, and at about 106 

 deg. Fahr. till the liquor becomes deep green ; it is then drawn 

 oft', and beat or churned till blue flakes appear, lime-water is then 

 added, the yellow liquor drawn off, the blue sediment dried, and 

 formed into small lumps ; used as a blue dye and colour. 



SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS. 



The strength of these liquors is technically denominated by 

 numbers, referring to an arbitrary strength, called proof, a gallon 

 of which was, in 1762, to weigh 71b. 11 oz. 3 drachms avoir. 

 When spirit is said to be one to three over proof, it is meant that 

 one gallon of water added to three gallons of the spirit will reduce 

 it to proof; on the contrary, one in three under proof signifies 

 that in three gallons of that spirit there is contained one gallon of 

 water, and the remaining two gallons are proof spirit. As a gallon 

 of water then weighed by law 81b. 7 oz. 5 drachms avoir., the 

 specific gravity of this proof spirit was to that of water as 910 to 

 1000. Of late, by a new regulation, the sp. grav. of proof spirit 

 is to that of water as 12 to 13, or 923 ; and the use of a hydro- 

 meter has been introduced, which shows the number of hundred 

 parts of spirit that any liquor will require to be taken from it, or 

 added, to reduce it to proof. 



All these spirits are stimulant, but more employed as luxuries 

 than as medicines ; used externally in burns, and, when diluted, in 

 ophthalmia ; used also in chemistry as a solvent of rosin, and many 

 other substances. Great improvements have of late been made 

 ID the apparatus for distillation on the Continent. 



Common buandy, Eau de vie ordinaire^ Aqua vitcp, A. vitis. 

 From high-coloured white wine, or pale red wines, by distillation 

 in well-tinned stills, until the distilled liquor is no longer inflam- 

 mable, or is less than 18 deg. Baume, equal to sp. grav. 0*948. 



CoGNlAC BRANDY, Euu de vie aupcrieure. From the palest 

 white wines, by very gentle distillation, so as to bring over as little 

 of the volatile oil of the wine as possible. It is sometimes kept 

 in glass or stone-bottles, irliite Cofjniac hrandij^ to prevent its 

 acquiring taste and colour from the cask, and to preserve its musky 

 flavour. 



Eau DR viK bK M viu;. From dark red wines, as also from 

 lees of wines, scrapings of wine casks, cake left in pressing 

 grapes for wine (80 tolOOlb. of which yield lib. of eau de marc), 

 and from the Ices left in making vinegar, mixed with water, and 

 distilled in untinncd copper vessels, with a quick fire to bring over 



