ON THE ADULTERATION OF BRANDY. 

 By R. Marloth, Ph.D., M.A. 



[Read 29th June, 1887.] 



The subject of the adulteration of brandy has been ventilated in 

 -^he Colonial newspapers from time to time, not only here in Cape 

 Town but also elsewhere. During my stay at Kimberley, about 

 eighteen months ago, I read there similar complaints about the 

 injurious properties of the brandy, to those which I had heard here. 



It seemed to be the general opinion that most of the canteen- 

 keepers were dangerous compounders of poisons, who took the brains 

 out of the unsuspecting natives by means of blue-stone, oil of vitriol, 

 tobacco-extract or cayenne pepper. 



I thought it therefore worth while to investigate the question 

 ;and procured four samples of brandy, but having there no analytical 

 apparatus at my disposal, I took the samples with me to Cape Town. 

 This was in the beginning of 1886. 



Another journey however, which took me from Cape Town for 

 several months, prevented me from taking up the postponed analysis ; 

 and when I returned from the interior, the subject had slipped out 

 of my mind. 



It was only about February last, when some remarks in the 

 newspapers reminded me again how desirable it was to ascertain 

 the nature of the virulent poison that was maddening the stalwart 

 Kafir in the streets of Kimberley and the jolly sailor who landed on 

 our shores. 



I employed a common workman for the purchase of the samples, 

 which were taken from different canteens of the town. Up to the 

 present I have analysed twenty -four samples of brandy, four from 

 Kimberley, bought there last year, and twenty from Cape Town, 

 bought during the months March, April and May. 



I may state at once that none of these samples contained any 

 foreign ingredients detrimental to health. My investigations con- 

 firm therefore the results which were obtained at the Excise Depart- 

 ment by the examination of forty-seven samples of brandy, and we 



