94  Analysis  of  Sam-Shu,  a  Chinese  Liquor.  {AmFeb"if8^rm" 
ANALYSIS  OF  SAM-SHU,  A  CHINESE  LIQUOR. 
By  Charles  E.  Munsell,  Ph.D. 
The  liquor  known  as  toddy,  arraek,  sahi,  tsin,  and  try  other  names 
in  Eastern  Asia,  is  distilled  from  the  yeasty  liquor  in  which  boiled 
rice  has  fermented  for  many  days  under  pressure.  Only  one  distilla- 
tion is  made  for  common  liquor,  but  when  greater  strength  is  desired 
two  or  three  distillations  are  made;  and  it  is  this  strong  spirit  alone 
which  is  rightly  called  Sam-shu,  a  word  meaning  "  thrice  fired."  (The 
Middle  Kingdom :  S.  Wells  Williams.  New  York,  1883.  Vol.  I, 
p.  808.) 
This  liquid,  which  has  the  color  of  rich  sherry  wine,  is  imported  in 
large  quantities  and  is  sold  here  (New  York  City)  in  the  shops  of 
Mott  and  Pell  streets  to  Chinamen,  who  are  very  fond  of  it,  not  only 
for  drinking  but  for  preparing  their  opium  for  smoking.  It  is  not 
agreeable  to  the  taste  of  Caucasians,  as  it  tastes  and  smells  like  spoiled 
Jamaica  rum.  Hitherto  the  proprietors  of  the  Chinese  shops,  where 
it  is  retailed,  have  refused  to  take  out  licenses,  because  they  did  not 
consider  the  liquid  intoxicating;  in  consequence  of  this  refusal  a  sam- 
ple was  sent  to  the  Health  Department  by  the  Excise  Commissioners, 
with  a  request  for  its  analysis.  The  results  of  this  analysis  are  as 
follows : 
Specific  Gravity  at  18°  C   94*84 
Percentage  of  Alcohol,  by  weight   33'81 
"  volume   4570 
"  "  Saccharose   5'39 
"  Glucose   1-19 
"  "  Mineral  constituents   '06 
"  other  Organic  Solids   2*80 
"  Total  Solids   9"44 
Dr.  J.  P.  Battershall,  of  the  United  States  Laboratory,  Port  of  New 
York,  obtained  the  following  percentages  of  Absolute  Alcohol  in  sam- 
ples of  this  "  Chinese  Medicine  " : 
Volume.  Weight. 
No.  1   44-50  37-50 
No.  2   33-1C  27-27 
No.  3   52-OC  44-42 
These  analyses  show  that  Sam-shu  contains  as  much  alcohol  as  any 
liquor  usually  sold. — Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soo.,  1885,  p.  243. 
