of Edinburgh, Session 1864-65. 
437 
5. On the Composition of some Old Wines. By Douglas 
Maclagan, M.D., Curator Koy. Soc. Edin. 
The samples of wine were furnished to Dr Maclagan by the Earl 
of Dalhousie ; they had been found in a recess in a wall in Panmure 
House, which was known to have been built up in 1715 ; the samples 
were consequently at least 150 years old. 
The wines submitted to examination were three in number, and 
were contained in quart bottles, resembling those ordinarily in use 
at the present day. They were, when sent to Dr Maclagan, securely 
corked ; evaporation had, however, gone on to a sensible extent in 
two of the bottles, the third being nearly full. 
No. 1. — Bottle No. 1 contained 21 fluid ounces of wine, its capacity 
being 25 fluid ounces. The fluid was carefully decanted, and thus 
separated from a considerable quantity of dark red apothema. 
The fluid separated by decantation was slightly turbid, the tur- 
bidity not disappearing on filtration. Its colour was a pale tawny 
brown. It possessed a distinct vinous aroma, which when the 
bottle was first opened, resembled very closely that of claret. In 
addition to the vinous, there was a distinctly acetous odour. Its 
density at 60° Eahr. was 995*42. 
The acids of the wine were separated by precipitating first with 
ordinary, and then with basic acetate of lead, and decomposing the 
separate precipitates by sulphuretted hydrogen, and testing. The 
wine was found to contain tartaric and tannic acids, besides suD 
phuric and phosphoric acids and chlorine in a state of combination. 
It contained no racemic acid. 
The results of a quantitative analysis were the following ; — 
Water in 1000 parts, ..... 918*414 
Alcohol, 70*000 
Acetic acid, 3*906 
Tartaric acid, . . . . . . . 3*187 
Sugar, *654 
Soluble salts, 1*672 
Insoluble salts, ...... 1*330 
In the above analysis the total acidity of the wine was deter- 
mined by means of a standard alkaline solution ; the fluid having 
