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detection of any flaw or crack in defective vessels, and soon causes 

 the shrunken staves to swell and any leakage to stop in what may 

 be otherwise sound casks. 





Steaming Cask. 



2nd. Chlorine Gas. For casks, for every 100 gallons capacity 

 pour into the vessel 162 grammes (2ozs.) of chloride of sodium 

 (common salt), or of chloride of lime, dissolved in a gallon of 

 boiling water ; to this add a small quantity of sulphuric acid, drive 

 in the bung and let the chemical reaction set in inside the cask. 

 Under the influence of the sulphuric acid, chlorine fumes are dis- 

 engaged from the chloride and effect a complete disinfection. This 

 chlorine gas, however, should be got rid of before putting any wine 

 into the cask, on account of its strong irritating action on the 

 tissues of the digestive organs, and also of its pronounced bleaching 

 action, which would decolourise the wine. The method, although 

 very efficacious, needs to be applied with a certain amount of care. 



The addition to the common salt of one ounce or so of 

 powered black oxide of manganese causes a more ready evolution of 

 the chlorine gas at a lower temperature, and is for that reason an 

 advantage. The chlorine gas combines with the hydrogen of the 

 water and liberates the oxygen, which is then said to be nascent, 

 and in that state combines with the vegetable tissues of any 

 mould which may be present, and causes their destruction. 



