C H E M 
ah elaftic fluid. 5 . A large quantity of carbonic acid 
gas is difengaged, This gas forms a ftratum in the upper 
part of the fermenting vats, which may be eafily diitin- 
guiflved from air. In this ftratum it was, that Dr. Prieft- 
\gy and Due de Chaulnes made their valuable experi¬ 
ments. Candies, plunged in this ftratum, are extinguilh- 
rd, and animals die therein ; lime-water is precipitated, 
and cauftic alkalis cryftallize perfectly. This acid, con¬ 
tained in the fermenting vats of brewhoufes, frequently 
produces the moft fataleffeCts on the workmen. 7. The 
difengagement of this gas is accompanied with the for¬ 
mation of a great number of bubbles in the vifeid liquor, 
through which the carbonic acid muft pals. All thefe 
phenomena gradually ceafp, in proportion as the liquor 
lofes its 1'weet and mild tafte, and becomes brilk, pene¬ 
trating, and capable of producing intoxication. 
If the fermentation be flopped or hindered, then the 
gafeous principles are retained; this is what occafions 
wine to be mufty. Mufty wines are imperfeCt wines, 
■flint up before the fermentation was completed; if the 
carbonic acid be difengaged from mufty wine, the re¬ 
maining liquor will have but little flrength, and contains 
fcarcely any alcohol. 
The juice of grapes is not exclufively. ffufceptible of 
the vinous fermentation. Apples and pears afford cyder 
and perry. This fpe.cies of wine is .often excellent, and 
affords good brandy. Cherries afford a tolerable wine, 
from which a kind of brandy is diftilled, cailed kirchen - 
rwaffer by the Germans. Apricots, peaches, and plums, 
afford a wine of inferior quality. Impure fugar, diifolv- 
ed in water, ferments readily: from this kind of wine, 
a fpirit, called rum, taffia, guildive, &c. is made. The 
■feeds of gramineous plants, and efpecially barley, afford 
3 fpecies of wine, called beer. See the article Brewing, 
vol. iii. p. 131. 
The above faffs prove, that the faccharine matter is the 
only principle of vegetables capable of palling to the 
vinous fermentation, and that water is neceifary for the 
production of this inteftine motion. Modern chemifts 
think, that the vinous fermentation confifts only in a 
change in the proportion of the principles of the fugar. 
A great part of its oxygen feizes the carbonaceous matter 
of the fugar, and forms carbonic acid, which is difen¬ 
gaged during this fermentation; while the hydrogen, 
united with a Tmall portion of the carbon, conftitutes 
wine, and is capable of forming a very light combuftible 
fubtle body, containing much lefs caybon than the fugar, 
and much more inflammable: this is alcohol. The pro- 
dud of all thefe fermenting fubftances, is a liquor more 
oriels coloured, of an aromatic fmell, a penetrating and 
hot tafte, which, in fmall dofes, aftifts the aCtion of weak 
fibres, but produces intoxication when taken too largely. 
It is univerfally known by the name of wine. The wine 
of grapes, for example, is compofed of a large quantity 
of water, an aroma peculiar to each wine, of a principle 
approaching to alcohol, an effential £dt called tartar, and 
an extraClo-refinous colouring matter, which produces 
the .colour in red wines. 
As foon as wine is put into the tub or vat, a kind of 
analyiis begins, which is Ihewn by the feparation of fome 
of its conftituent principles, as the tartar, which fticks 
to the lides of the veflel, and the lees, which fall to the 
bottom. The precipitation called lees confifts of the feeds 
and fldfis of grapes, impure tartar, andfulphatof potafli. 
By diftiliation with a naked fire, it affords brandy: treat¬ 
ed in a retort, it affords acid phlegm, oil, ammoniac ; 
and its coal contains carbonat and fulphat of potalh. 
The incineration of the lees of wine in the open air af¬ 
fords a cauftic pot aft), mixed with carbonat and fulphat 
of potafli, and known in commerce by the name of cen . 
dres grave lees. 
Wine diffolves many fubftances, by virtue of the wa¬ 
ter, the-alcohol, and the effential acid fait, of which it 
is formed. It unites with extrails, refins, certain metals. 
I S T R Y. 347 
&C. On thefe properties depend the preparations of me¬ 
dicinal wines, luch as, 1. Emetic wine, prepared by ma¬ 
cerating four ounces of crocus metallorum in two pounds 
of good white wine ; the liquid is filtered, or is uled 
without filtration, in paralytic or apopleCtic caffes. 
2. Chalybeat wine, made by digefting one ounce of 
fteel filings with two pounds of white wine : it is an ex¬ 
cellent tonic and aperitive medicine. 3. The wines of 
vegetables, prepared either with red wine, in which allrin- 
gent or aromatic plants are macerated ; or with white 
wine, which is ufuailyemployed with antifcorbuticplants ; 
or with Spanilh wine : the wine of fquills, and all'o the 
liquid laudanum of Sydenham, are prepared with this 
wine. The latter is made by digefting for feveral days 
two ounces of diced opium, one ounce of faffron, a 
drachm of powdered cinamon and cloves, in a pound of 
Spanilh jvine. This medicine is a very good fedative, 
taken in the dofe of a few drops, efpecially in cafes in 
which it is feared that opium may weaken the patient, or 
flop fome ufeful evacuation. 
The aCtion of fire is commonly ufed to decompofe 
wine and feparate it into its feveral principles. The 
firft produCl, by the diftiliation of wine is called brandy. 
Chaptal fays, that, to obtain brandy of good quality, the 
fliape of the veffels is not a matter of indifference ; his 
apparatus therefore it will be neceifary to deferibe. A 
kettle is to be made, wider than it is high, with the bot¬ 
tom hollowed in, that the fire may be at an equal diftance 
from every part of the bottom; the fides are raifed per¬ 
pendicularly, I'o that the kettle exhibits a portion of a 
cylinder, and is covered with a very large top or head, 
with its refrigerant, this head has a grove about four 
inches deep at the lower run within; the fides have an 
inclination of 75 0 , at which degree the drop of brandy 
will run without falling back into the cucurbit of the 
alembic ; the rollrum or beak of the head is to be high 
and as wide as the head itfelf; it diminilhes gradually, 
and terminates in a pipe or worm; the refrigerant ac¬ 
companies the beak, and has a cock at its extremity 
to let out the water, which is continually dropping 
from above. 
Wine produces by diftiliation, 1. Brandy. 2. An acid 
liquor. 3. An extract of a red colour, containing tartar ; 
the colouring part may be feparated by the addition of 
alcohol, which aCts on the tartar. 
Of BRANDY. ■ 
This fluid is naturally colourlefs; when it has any co¬ 
lour, It is owing to the extractive matter it has taken up 
from the wood of the calk. Its tafte is biting and hot; 
its ftrength depends on its lightnefs in comparifon with 
water. Brandy is of very extenfive ufe, in the arts and 
in lociety. Ratafia is made of it j it lerves to preferve 
fruits. It dilfolves camphor; this is called camphorated 
fpirit of wine. Brandy from corn is obtained by diftill- 
ingthe liquor drawn from meal by fermentation; in Hol¬ 
land they let it become acid firft. It is extracted alfo from 
the lees of wine, or the Ikins of the grapes. They muft 
be left in tubs to undergo a dry fermentation at firft; 
then let them be moiftened; but,as theheat’of fermentation 
will have occafioned a beginning of putrefaction, ammo¬ 
niac riles, and it will be necefiary to throw back the firft 
produCl. 
Of ALCOHOL. 
Brandy, by diftiliation in clofe veffels, produces a li- 
•jquor more volatile, called alcohol, or fpirit of wine. Put 
brandy into a water-bath of tin ; place this in the cucur¬ 
bit of an alembic, and fix on the head and worm-tub. 
Diftil with a moderate heat; leparate the firft produCl, 
which is about one fourth of the quantity employed^ a 
lecond produCl is obtained, which Ihould be eqyal in 
quantity to the firft: mix thefe together: this is the 
pureft and ftrongelt alcohol. Continue the diftiliation 
