334  Adulteration  of  Port  Wine.        { AMj^; 
The  filtrate  from  the  mercurous  precipitate  is  treated  with  ammo- 
nia, filtered  and  acetate  of  barium  added ;  a  precipitate  indicates 
gentian,  an  orange-red  color  of  the  liquid  points  to  aloes.  After 
evaporation  to  dryness,  the  residue  is  exhausted  with  alcohol,  the 
liquid  evaporated,  and  the  residue  treated  with  warm  HN03.  The 
yellowish-red  solution  is  evaporated  to  dryness  and  dissolved  in  little 
water,  when  it  will  yield  a  blood-red  solution  with  potassa  and  glu- 
cose, if  aloes  be  present.  The  precipitate  obtained  by  acetate  of 
barium,  containing  gentian,  is  exhausted  with  alcohol,  evaporated  and 
treated  with  H2S04,  HN03  or  HKO  as  above. 
The  residue  of  the  original  substance  left  after  treatment  with 
water  may  contain  the  resins  of  agaric,  scammony  and  jalap;  to  sep- 
arate them  it  is  treated  with  ether,  the  solution  evaporated,  and  the 
residue  treated  with  warm  solution  sodium  carbonate.  If  scammony  be 
present,  a  residue  will  be  left,  swelling  with  HN03  to  a  yellow  mass,  but 
soluble  in  H2S04,  with  an  orange- red  color,  becoming  blood-red  on  stand- 
ing. The  soda  solution  is  precipitated  with  an  acid ;  the  resin  of 
agaric  is  insoluble  in  HN03,  but  dissolves  in  H2S04,  with  an  orange 
color. 
The  resin  of  jalap,  remaining  behind  after  treatment  with  water 
and  ether,  is  recognized  by  its  behavior  to  H2S04,  as  given  above. 
A  NEW  ADULTERATION  OF  PORT  WINE. 
By  E.  B.  Shuttleworth. 
Having  recently  had  occasion  to  test  a  number  of  samples  of  port 
wine,  I  principally  directed  my  attention  to  the  detection  of  foreign 
coloring  matter  as  affording  the  best  evidence  of  falsification.  On 
applying  the  test  recommended  by  Lapeyrere,*  five  out  of  the  four- 
teen samples  examined  gave  colorations  differing  from  the  remaining 
nine.  This  test  appears  to  be  of  some  value,  but  I  have  no  doubt 
that  considerable  experience  is  required  before  a  definite  and  satisfac- 
tory conclusion  can  be  arrived  at.  Filtering  paper  is  saturated  with 
a  solution  of  acetate  of  copper,  dried,  and  dipped  in  the  suspected 
wine.  If  genuine,  a  grayish  rose-red  color  is  produced.  Logwood  is 
said  to  give  a  distinct  sky-blue,  while  other  coloring  matters  give 
modifications  of  the  original  natural  tint. 
On  examining  by  the  spectroscope,  the  nine  samples  before  al- 
luded to,  the  spectra  produced  showed  no  special  characteristics,  and 
*  Jour,  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chimie. 
