DISEASES OF WINE. 131 



lost, and the alkali imparts a disagreeable flavour to 

 the wine. "Weak wines are apt to turn acid if allowed 

 to come in contact with air at a high temperature. 



THE MOTJLDINESS OF WINE. 



This is a disease in which mould plants are produced 

 on the surface of the wine. How this mould, which con- 

 sists principally of cellulose, is formed, whether out of 

 acetic acid which has been previously produced from 

 the alcohol, or in any other manner, is not known. It is 

 certain that the admission of air is favourable to this 

 disease, and that alcohol disappears during its pro- 

 gress. This seems to indicate either that the alcohol 

 is oxidised to acetic acid, C 4 H 6 2 + 4 =C 4 H 4 O 4 + 

 2HO, which acetic acid then becomes cellulose, 6 C 4 

 H 4 O 4 =C 24 H 21 21 + 3HO, or that the alcohol is at 

 once converted into cellulose, which, however, is very 

 improbable. 



Greek wines are at present, generally speaking, 

 bad, and spoil very easily. Landerer* ascribes this 

 principally to their being badly prepared, and im- 

 perfectly cleared ; enough, they are turbid. In order 

 to prevent them from becoming acid, which they do 

 very easily, pitch and gypsum are added to them, and 



* Arch, der Pkarm. Bd. 70, s. 292. 



