114 | Scientific Intelligence. 
aon Cuemistry. 
e occurrence of soluble compounds of Copper, Lead and Tin 
in vases distilled Alcoholic Spirits—In an article —S the pap 
none of whom eet ever met wit: a case nate laces of manufacture 
which would lead even to an inference he any deleterious sate iee: ad 
en purposely added to the distilled spirits. 
But while dismissing this bugbear, Dr. Hayes calls attention to anot ther 
source of danger which may be of importance. “ Newly distilled spirits, 
te 
ew] 
distilled spirits, and in interpose his aid in preventing the fatal soreninatii 
of vicious indulgence 
he author goes on n to remark that since he first became aware of the 
frequent occurrence of these metallic salts in recently manufactured spirits, 
he has made investigations ah “ pro ve that as all s spirits 2 at one time 
compounds. Old or more matured spirits have generally lost every pat- 
ticle of the salts once held in solution. anges in the organic solvent 
have caused the deposition of the metallic compound accompanied by the 
organic matter from obvious sources, and in, such spirits the metallic 
oxyd is always found—if it has been eT the dark colored matter 
which has been deposited at the bottom of a cask at rest. This dark 
deposit has tle appearance of, has been avtidiales for, charcoal, detached 
from the charcoal staves of the casks in which the spirits have been 
stored. Of this dark deposit every sample has, on examination, afforded 
abundance of copper, copper and tin, or copper and lead, even when taken 
from the finer qualities of foreign spirits. Observations have been m 
on the nature of this change from a soluble to an insoluble state. Sam- 
ples of new spirits have been kept in glass vessels until the whole metallic 
salt has fallen in dark flocks, leaving the clear fluid free from any metallic 
compound and perefectly pure. It appears therefore that matured spirits 
lose their poisonous impregnation during the time necessary to adapt 
them for use as beverages, and that while the clear, tran sparent fluid 
contains no metallic impregnation, a turbid though ripened spirit may 
