358 ADTJLTEKATION OF WINE. 



The amount of alcohol in wine varies as much as 1 

 or 2 per cent. ; in stronger wines, as Port, Madeira, 

 &c. up to 3 per cent. (p. 176). 



It is a very general idea that wines have something 

 added to them, and yet the prejudice against the ad- 

 dition is as general. As if the alcohol added differed 

 in any respect from that which naturally exists in the 

 wine ! It is not the interest of the adulterator to add 

 too much, and if he only add as much as is usually 

 contained in the wine then alcohol is alcohol. I 

 cannot imagine that this prejudice is founded on an 

 opinion expressed by Pabroni, that no alcohol exists 

 in wine, but that it is first formed (not separated from 

 it), by distillation (a view which has been expressly 

 refuted by Brande) ; for how could it have obtained 

 such universal currency ? 



As to the effect on the body produced by wine, there 

 can be no difference between wine containing 10 per 

 cent, alcohol, and wine of the same kind in which 

 7 per cent, alcohol exist, and to which 3 per cent, are 

 added.* 



The same holds good of a stronger wine, to which 

 water is added to diminish its strength. At first it is 

 perceptible to the taste, but after a time it combines 

 more intimately, and unless too much has been added, 

 can no longer be discerned. 



In both cases, when either alcohol or water have 



* At first the taste is different, but long practice alone can distin- 

 guish between them when the addition has lately been made. 



