Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Dec,  1877.  J 
Varieties, 
615 
that  the  vinegar  contains  54rVb"  grams  Per  gallon  of  anhydrous  sulphuric  acid,  com- 
bined with  lime,  to  form  a  sulphate  of  lime  equivalent  to  ii7j-£-$  grains  of  gypsum 
per  gallon,  and  besides  that  5  grains  of  free  sulphuric  acid  per  gallon.  The  Board 
also  reports  that  this  sample  was  taken  from  an  invoice  of  more  than  1,000  barrels 
brought  there  to  be  sold  as  vinegar,  and  that  it  is  likely  to  find  a  ready  sale  on 
account  of  its  low  price.  The  report  concludes  as  follows  :  "  When  we  think  that 
oil  of  vitriol  (sulphuric  acid)  can  be  bought  at  5  cents  per  pound,  and  that  a  pound 
of  said  acid  would  render  a  barrel  of  fluid  as  acid  as  the  strongest  vinegar,  the  won- 
der will  ceace  that  it  is  sold  cheap.  This,  therefore,  is  a  fraud  upon  commerce,  and 
a  dangerous  substitute  for  vinegar."  The  fraud  and  danger  are  more  general  than 
the  great  mass  of  people  will  readily  believe.  It  is  asserted  that  probably  one-half 
the  vinegar  sold  at  city  groceries  is  a  rank  poison,  with  either  sulphuric  or  other 
objectionble  acids  for  its  base. — Ibid.,  Sept.  8. 
Detection  of  Free  Sulphuric  Acid  in  Wine  and  Vinegar. — Nessler  proposes  to 
cut  filtering  paper  into  strips  of  30  to  40  centimeters,  and  to  dip  the  lower  end  into  the 
liquid,  which  will  be  drawn  up  by  capillary  attraction,  and  evaporating  above  will 
there  leave  the  paper,  after  24  hours  contact  and  subsequent  drying  in  a  water-bath, 
of  a  brown  or  black  color  5  the  presence  of  a  minute  (less  than  0*5  per  cent.)  quan- 
tity of  sugar  increases  the  delicacy  of  the  test. —  Phar.  Cent.  Halle,  No.  40. 
Adulterations  of  Red  Wines. — W.  Bachmeyer  proposes  to  mix  about  5  cc.  ot 
the  wine  with  an  equal  bulk  of  nitric  acid,  spec.  grav.  A  wine  which  has  been 
artificially  colored  is  thereby  decolorized  in  a  few  minutes  or  within  about  one  hour, 
while  the  natural  red  color  of  wine  is  not  affected  after  several  days,  unless  an  excess 
of  the  acid  has  been  added. — Chem.  Centralbl.,  No.  42,  from  Polyt.  Jour. 
Wine  Adulteration — The  "  Bien  Public  "  says  that  the  falsification  of  wines  with 
fuchsin,  and  the  dangers  to  the  public  health  arising  from  that  practice,  have 
c'  obliged  the  government  to  take  active  steps  for  its  repression. 
At  first  the  examination  of  the  wine  was  made  at  the  stores  of  the  merchant,  but 
this  was  found  to  be  useless,  and  the  adulteration  continued.  A  special  commission 
has  now  been  appointed  to  inspect  the  liquor  at  the  wine-shops,  and  samples  are 
submitted  to  analysis  exactly  according  to  the  English  system.  If  the  presence  of 
fuchsin  or  any  other  dangerous  ingredient  is  established,  the  seller  is  severely  pun- 
ished.— Dublin  Med.  Press  and  Circ.,  Oct.  31. 
Poisonous  Tin. — An  ordonnance  of  the  Parisian  police,  which  was  adopted  some 
years  since,  ordered  all  tin-ware  manufacturers  and  traveling  workmen  to  employ 
