42 FALSIFICATION OF WINE ViNEGAR, &C. 
requisite to make 18 casks of vinegar, he then descended into 
it to mix the liquid with his feet, the severe scalding which 
was the immediate result placed his life in great jeopardy. 
At Barcelona during the yellow fever, all the vinegar was 
consumed, I have been correctly informed that it was manufac- 
tured from 10 casks of water, 2 of vinegar and 1 of inferior 
wine, (to give colour to the vinegar) and a sufficient quantity 
of sulphuric acid. 
To the methods pointed out by M. Chevallier we shall now 
add those, of which we ourselves have a knowledge. It is 
well known that vinegar manufacturers, instead of giving 
strength to weak vinegars by the addition of spirit, or some 
sugary substance, prefer to add some of the acids called mine- 
ral, principally the sulphuric, as much on account of the saving 
in price, as of the promptness of its operation. This fraud 
has been detected by Demarchy in some vinegars of Paris and 
especially in Champagne, at St. Dizier and among the retailers 
of vinegar. 
M. Descroizilles has given a method of detecting sulphuric 
acid in vinegar, which we think should be noticed. This 
skilful manufacturer recommends touching a drop of the in- 
fusion of litmus, or litmus paper, with the suspected vinegar. 
If it is pure, the blue colour reappears after drying; if on the 
contrary it remains changed, it is a proof of the presence of 
an acid foreign to it. This test with litmus may approxi- 
mately indicate the quantity of acid added. In effect, 
says M. Decroizilles, after the falsification of vinegar has been 
made evident and its acetometric degree has been determined, 
a new trial of saturation is commenced by pouring at intervals 
a demilitre of the acetometric liquid into it, and at each time 
touching a drop of the infusion of litmus with the vinegar in 
its several states of saturation; when the saturation is complete, 
and the litmus is no longer reddened, if the experiment indi- 
cates 12 degrees, there will be upon the pallet 24 red drops. 
The pallet is then slowly heated to dry them, and the number 
which remains of a red colour is counted. If 8 remain and if the 
