Administration of Alcohol. - Properties of Various Wines. - Wines in General. - Spanish Wines. - German Wines. - Hungarian Wines. - Greek Wines. - Acid, Gout, Rheumatism. - Acid and Sugar in Spirituous Liquors. - Ardent Spirits and their Peculiarities. - Alcohol Table showing the Analysis of Spirituous Liquors.

Administration Of Alcohol

Children, and those under twenty-one, should only take alcohol as a medicine. According to my own experience, based upon long and careful observation, an average-sized adult man, taking moderate exercise, may drink with advantage enough fermented liquors, each 24 hours, to represent from one to two ounces avoirdupois of absolute alcohol, equivalent to from 1/34/ to 3 1/2 ounces of proof spirit - provided it be always diluted to the extent of 10 fluid ounces (half-a-pint imperial) of water or some other unfermented liquor to each ounce avoirdupois of absolute alcohol, and that it be taken when there is food in the stomach. (See Preliminary Remarks, Chapter III (What Do You Need For A Normal Diet).; and Appendix.)

The Properties Of Various Wines

The subject of wine has of late years become so extensive - embracing so many considerations connected with such numerous varieties of wine from different parts of the world, - that I have thought it best to give the practical experience of several recognised authorities specially acquainted with different departments of the subject.

I am glad, therefore, to be able to present the following matter from such reliable sources.

The observations on Wines in General are dictated by my friend Mr. James L. Johnston, late Principal Inspector of Customs Laboratories, who has, undoubtedly, more correct practical and scientific knowledge of fermented liquors than any other person in this country.

For the account of the wines of Spain I am indebted to Mr. F. W. Cosens, the celebrated Spanish wine merchant.

The description of the Wines of Germany, and of the distinctive medicinal properties attributed to them in the districts where they are grown, was furnished by the late Mr. M. A. Verkriizen, who had devoted much time to this subject.

Mr. Denman, of Piccadilly, the principal introducer of the Wines of Greece, and the author of several works on wine, has favoured me with the concise statement of the medicinal properties attributed to these wines by the numerous medical men who have communicated to him their experience.

For the account of the wines of Hungary, I am indebted to Mr. Max Greger, of Mincing Lane, City, who first introduced the pure Hungarian wines into this country, and who has so creditably maintained his character both for a scientific and practical knowledge of the wines of his native land, and for the conscientiousness with which he attends to the orders of medical men, when they consider it important that only the purest and most mature wines shall be supplied to their patients.

I give the statements of these several authorities nearly in their own words, and they are responsible for them; but, so far as it is practicable for one person to do so, I have endeavoured to test the correctness of their opinions by my own experience.

It is necessary to add, that there is no department of commerce in which "commercial immorality" is so atrociously and so easily practised as in the wine trade - the most professed connoisseurs being often the most "taken in;" and I know of no protection against the misfortune of drinking half poisonous trash instead of genuine wholesome wine, except that of cautiously selecting a wine merchant of known honour and probity, and then leaving to him the entire responsibility of choosing your wines.