BRANDY 213 



47.3 per cent, by weight, or 44 to 55 per cent, by volume. Contains no more than 

 traces of fusel oil. The alcoholic liquors owe their flavor or bouquet to ethers 

 which are only developed in course of time. The amylic alcohol, or fusel oil in 

 whisky is therefore converted into ethers, which give the characteristic flavor to 

 whisky. 



Dose.—n. & C, gli-lv, (60-120) ; Sh. & Sw., §i-ii, (30-60) ; D., 3i-iv, (4-16). 

 Spiritus Vini Gallici. Brandy. (Non-official.) 



Synonym.- — Spirit of French wine, E.; eau-de-vie, cognac, Fr.; Frantzbrannt- 

 wein, G. 



Derivation. — An alcoholic liquid obtained by the distillation of the fermented 

 unmodifled juice of fresh grapes, and at least four years old. 



Brandy is somewhat astringent and is often not made from the distillation 

 of wine, but is a factitious preparation. Native brandy is said to be purer, but is 

 usually Inferior in flavor to that of foreign manufacture. Brandy contains 39-47 

 per cent, of absolute alcohol by weight; 46-55 per cent, by volume. 



Dose. — Same as that for whisky. 



SpiRrrus JuKiPEBi Compositus. Compound Spirit of Juniper. (U. S. P.) 



Derivation. — Oil of juniper, 8; oil of caraway, 1; oil of fennel, 1; alcohol, 

 1,400; water to make 2,000. 



Compound spirit of juniper is similar to gin in its therapeutic action. Con- 

 tains about 15 per cent, more alcohol. Gin is made by distillation of fermented 

 malt and juniper berries. Gin differs from the other alcoholic preparations 

 therapeutically in being more diuretic. 



Dose. — Same as that for whisky. 



Rum. (Non-official.) 



Rum is made from a fermented solution of molasses by distillation. It con- 

 tains, by weight, from 40 to 50 per cent, of absolute alcohol. Rum does not differ 

 physiologically from alcohol. There is no authoritative Latin name for rum. 



Dose. — Same as that for whisky. 



The Pharmacopeia formerly directed that white wine should contain 

 from 7 to 12 per cent., by weight of absolute alcohol. California hock 

 and Reisling, Ohio Catawba, sherry, muscatel, Madeira and the stronger 

 wines of the Rhine, Mediterranean, and Hungary, come within the phar- 

 macopeial limits. Wines containing more than 14 per cent, of alcohol, 

 are usually fortified, i. e., have alcohol or brandy added to them, and 

 much imported sherry (vinum xericum), port, and Madeira contain 15 

 to 25 per cent., by weight, of absolute alcohol. 



Native claret. Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Hungarian wines may be 

 included within the former pharmacopeial limits of red wine. Port 

 (vinum portense) is fortified with brandy during fermentation, and con- 

 tains 15 to 25 per cent, by weight, of absolute alcohol. Port is astrin- 

 gent from tannic acid in the grapes, skins and stalks, or the astringency 

 may be due to logwood. 



Red wines are said to be rough when containing tannic acid and 

 therefore are astringent. Dry wines are those which contain little sugar. 

 The wines develop ethers with age, and these improve their flavor and 

 action. 



Champagne contains about 10 per cent, of absolute alcohol and car- 

 bonic acid gas, which acts as a local sedative upon the stomach. Ale, 

 stout and beers contain from 4 to 8 per cent, of alcohol, together with 

 bitters and malt extracts. Cider contains 5 to 9 per cent, of absolute 

 alcohol. Alcohol is the solvent most commonly employed in pharmacy, 

 dissolving alkaloids, resins, volatile oils, balsams, oleo-resins, tannin, 

 sugar, some fats and fixed oils. 



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