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medical profession is much indebted for his improvements inclinical thermometers and other exact instruments, has wellperformed his task of editing the publication. The workshould find a place in the library of every would-be investi-gator of natural laws.A Practical Treatise on Shock after Surgical Operations and

Injuries, with especial reference to Shock caused by RailwayAccidents. By EDWIN MORRIS, M.D., F.R.C.S. (Exam.),Surgeon to the Spalding Dispensary and Union Infirmary.-This little book contains references to a great many previousauthors, but we do not find in it anything which is par-ticularly new or especially interesting. The author, in hispreface, urges that " indulgence may fairly be claimed by onewho, during great mental exertion and fatigue, spares time torecord the result of the experience of six-and-twenty years."If it were useful or necessary to record this experience (which,by the way, is in very great part the already publishedexperience of others), no doubt the writer might deprecatecriticism. But was it necessary ?Railways in their Medical Aspects. By JAS. OGDEN FLETCHER,

M.D., F. R. C. S. ; Medical Officer to the Manchester, Sheffield,and Lincolnshire, and Great Northern’ Railway Companies, &c.London : J. E. Cornish. 186’7. - Some very interesting his-

torical and statistical details are contained in this book, andthe author has evidently expended no little amount of time andtrouble in collecting his materials. Besides a considerablemass of information which is not strictly professional, theauthor discourses on the influence of railway travelling uponthe health of passengers, and on the special diseases of railwayernployés. In the second and third chapters he considers thecauses of railway accidents, their nature, and the results ofthe injuries; and adds an appendix containing informationrespecting the issue of 175 cases. A great drawback to thevalue of the work is the controversial style in which a part of it iswritten. Dr. Fletcher is evidently very wroth with medicalwriters and witnesses who express an unfavourable opinion inthe case of passengers who have been "smashed up." Toread his book is almost to get the idea that a railway acci-dent is rather a cheerful thing, and that, on the whole, thefortunate sufferers are somewhat better than usual after the

lapse of a little time. Far be it from us to say that this is notthe case; but we think that an employé of railway companies,writing on the subject, should have avoided the position ofan advocate which Dr. Fletcher has assumed.A Handy Book of Meteorology. By ALEX. BUCHAN, M.A.,

Secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society. pp. 204.Blackwood and Sons.-This is a capital and comprehensive Manual of Meteorology, and the medical student especially will find it much to his advantage to familiarise himself withthe work.

YELLOW FEVER AT NEW ORLEANS.-Sad accountscome to hand of the prevalence of yellow fever in Texas. Itis said to be fatal beyond precedent. In Galveston, out oftwenty-six custom-house officers, only three are fit for duty; theremainder being dead or ill. * Official report says that there is"not an army-surgeon in or around Galveston fit for duty, andthat the regular practitioners of that city have more than theycan possibly attend to." The disease is on the increase at NewOrleans, at which place the deaths number one hundred daily.The fever has become epidemic at Jackson, Mississippi.It is said that forty-two officers of the regular army haveperished since the 1st of August.ONE MORE CONGRESS.- Veterinary surgeons have

also had their international congress. It was held at Zurich,attention being especially directed to the cattle plague. Themembers were of opinion that the more recent experimentshave only verified the former; that incubation should still befixed at ten days; and that the most efficacious means of con-tending with the complaint was to destroy all the cattle sus-pected of harbouring the disease, and to burn every articlewith which they had come in contact. Wishes were expressedthat no one should be permitted to practise the veterinary artbut those holding a regular diploma.

THE

ANALYTICAL SANITARYCOMMISSION.

No. III.

ON CLARET, BURGUNDY, RED HUNGARIAN,AND GREEK WINES.

RESULTS OF THE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THIRTY-NINESAMPLES OF RED WINES, INCLUDING CLARETS,

BURGUNDIES, HUNGARIAN ANDGREEK WINES.

26th Sample.Burgundy. -Purchased of Mr. Watson, 72 and 73, Great

Russell-street, W.C. 3Gs. per dozen.Specific gravity, 994-05. Alcohol, 103-28. Acetic acid, 0-741.

Tartaric acid, 10-06. Phosphoric acid, 0.54. Grape sugar,4’25. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 1’54. Albuminous matter, 2’163. Total solids,19’28. Ash, 2-23.

Very full-bodied; fruity and strong ; would keep well.27th Sample.

Beaune. -Purchased of The Foreign Vineyard Association,200, Regent-street, W. 30s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 993-75. Alcohol, 99’50. Acetic acid, 0’882.Tartaric acid, 9-53. Phosphoric acid, 0-509. Grape sugar,3 -22. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 1-12. Albuminous matter, 2-141. Total solids,21-82. Ash, 1-91.

Mild, rather full-bodied, and of delicate flavour.28th S’ample.

Beaune. -Purchased of Messrs. Nunn and Sons, 25, Lamb’sConduit-street. Price 30s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 996’64. Alcohol, 85 -46. Acetic acid, 0’706.Tartaric acid, 11-91. Phosphoric acid, 0’437. Grapesugar, 5’78. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible intogrape sugar, 0’90. Albuminous matter, 1-478. Totalsolids, 2202. Ash, 1-82.

Of full body and deep colour ; astringent and pleasant, butnot of great strength in alcohol.

29th Sample.Beaune.-Purchased of Messrs. Gallais and Co., 27, Margaret-

street, Regent-street, W. 30s. per dozen.Specific gravity, 993 -26. Alcohol, 103.06. Acetic acid, 0-918.

Tartaric acid, 9-0. Phosphoric acid, 0’401. Grape sugar,4’60. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 1-54. Albuminous matter, 2-136. Total solids,19-20. Ash, 2’78.

Astringent, not very full-bodied, but rather strong in alcohol,and of a pleasant and slightly port-wine-like flavour.

GAUPHINE.

30th Sample.Gauphine. -Purchased of Mr. Denman, 20, Piccadilly, W.

9s. per dozen.Specific gravity, 994-7. Alcohol, 107’79. Acetic acid, 1-02.

Tartaric acid, 10-32. Phosphoric acid, 0 306. Grapesugar, 3’76. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into

grape sugar, 1’83. Albuminous matter, 1-75. Totalsolids, 21’02. Ash, 2’63.

Of deep colour, full body, pleasant favour, and of consider-able strength in alcohol.

RED HUNGARIAN WINES.

31st S’ample.Erlau.-Purchased of Mr. Max Greger, 2, Old Bond-street.

158. per dozen.Specific gravity, 993-50. Alcohol, 99-75. Acetic acid, 1-30.

Tartaric acid, 10’76. Phosphoric acid, 0-324. Grapesugar, 2’58. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible intogrape sugar, 1-31. Albuminous matter, 1-664. Totalsolids, 16’60. Ash, 2’06.

Of medium colour, mild, and soft; of peculiar acidulousbut delicate and pleasant flavour; and of fair alcoholicstrength.

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32nd Sample.Erlau. -Purchased of MM. Hermann and Co., 6, Mincing-

lane, E.C. 16s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 992’80. Alcohol, 115’18. Acetic acid, 0’766.Tartaric acid, 9’26. Phosphoric acid, 0’350. Grape sugar,4’06. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 0’12. Albuminous matter, 2’214. Total solids,19’64. Ash, 2-07.

Very soft, rather full-bodied, of delicate flavour, and alto-gether much like a Burgundy.

33rd Sample.Carlowitz.-Purchased of Mr. Max Greger, 2, Old Bond-street.

24s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 995’90. Alcohol, 98-04. Acetic acid, 0-918.Tartaric acid, 9 ’97. Phosphoric acid, 0’298. Grape sugar,7’13. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, O’ll. Albuminous matter, 1’598. Total solids,25-00. Ash, 1’89.

Acidulous; somewhat sparkling from the liberation of car-bonic acid ; flavour peculiar, but pleasant and delicate.

34th S‘ample.Carlowitz. -Purchased of Messrs. Homberg and Haas, 44, East-

cheap. 24s. per dozen.Specific gravity, 995’30. Alcohol, 89’09. Acetic acid, 0-847.

Tartaric acid, 10’15. Phosphoric acid, 0’296. Grapesugar, 3 -27. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into

grape sugar, 0 -95. Albuminous matter, 1’267. Total solids,1852. Ash, 2’10.

Of rather a pale colour; not very astringent ; mild, notvery strong, but of delicate flavour.

35th Sample.Voslauer.-Purchased of Messrs. Andres, Brothers, 97, New

Bond-street, W. 24s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 994’5. Alcohol, 92-86. Acetic acid, 1-341.Tartaric acid, 8-47. Phosphoric acid, 0’465. Grapesugar, 2 -00. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible intograoe sugar, 0’52. Albuminous matter, 1’672. Totalsolids, 20-08. Ash, 2’85.

Mild, clear, very free from sugar, of great bouquet, of ahighly-flavoured or scented taste, and of fair strength inalcohol.

36th Sample.Poganyvar.-Purchased of Messrs. Homberg and Haas, 44,

Eastcheap. 18s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 993-28. Alcohol,104-85. Acetic acid, 0’60.Tartaric acid, 9’88. Phosphoric acid, 0’383. Grape sugar,2’67. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 1’59. Albuminous matter, 1’307. Total solids,17-76. Ash, 1-77.

Of a light colour; sharp; spirituous and astringent, havingin a slight degree the taste of port.

GREEK WINES.

37th Sample.Red Patras.-Purchased of Mr. Denman, 20, Piccadilly, W.

20a. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 996-4. Alcohol, 118-10. Acetic acid, 1-65.Tartaric acid, 11-03. Phosphoric acid, 0-316. Grapesugar, 6’26. Cane sugar, none. Albuminous matter,1-21. Total solids, 29’32. Ash, 3-15.

Possesses the colour and something of the taste of port wine,and is the strongest of all the wines tested by us; residueupon evaporation considerable.

38th Sample.Red Keffesia.-Purchased of Mr. Denman, 20, Piccadilly, W.

20s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 1000’28. Alcohol, 101-83. Acetic acid, 2 -05.Tartaric acid, 9’97. Phosphoric acid, 0’296. Grape sugar,6-64. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 0’90. Albuminous matter, 0-52. Total solids,35-14. Ash, 4’42.

Of a pale port-wine colour; taste peculiar, but delicate,pleasant, and superior; strong, but not fiery; leaving onevaporation more residue than any of the other wines exa-mined.

SICILIAN CLABBT.39th Sample.

Sicilian Claret.-Purchased of Messrs. Pinkerton and Co., 29,Botolph-lane. 30s. per dozen.

Specific gravity, 989’50. Alcohol, 161’4. Acetic acid,!’13.Tartaric acid, 9 00. Phosphoric acid, 0-288. Grape sugar,4’84. Cane sugar, or other matter convertible into grapesugar, 0’98. Albuminous matter, 1’32. Total solids,25-34. Ash, 2-41.

Possesses somewhat the colour and flavour of port, is ratherstrong in alcohol, and the bottle containing it is slightlycrusted.

ANALYSES OF WINES.

(Composition of 1000 grain measures.) )

We have now to consider the deductions to be made from the foregoing somewhat elaborate and searching analyses.Specific gravity.-There is not much information of practicalvalue to be deduced from the relative weights or gravity of

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different samples of wine. The alcohol or spirit being lighterthan the water, which forms, so far as bulk and weight areconcerned, the principal portion of the wine, of course in theproportion in which it is present the gravity is affected, ren-dering it, where there is much alcohol, so much the lighter.On the other hand, however, the sugar and other extractivematters are heavier than water, and when these are abundantthey make the wine of greater gravity. The alcohol and theextractive matters affect the gravity of wines, in fact, in oppo-site directions ; so that a wine may be of rather high gravityfrom an excess of extractive matter, and yet may contain afair amount of spirit or alcohol; but when a wine is of lowdensity, although the solid matters present may be but small,yet we may safely conclude that the wine is of considerablestrength in alcohol. For the exact gravities of the severalwines tested, it will be sufficient that we refer to the table.

The spirit or alcohol.-This, the most important constituentof wine, was found to vary within the following limits :-The pure or absolute alcohol, which is entirely free from water,ranged in the 17 samples of Claret analysed between 7’94 percent. and 11’3 per cent.; or, excluding samples 5 and 15, be-tween 7’94 and 9’41; the mean of the whole being 8’97 grains,or almost 9 grains, per cent. In the 12 samples of Burgundy,from 8’4 to 10’3 per cent. ; the mean being 9’313. Mr. Denman’s Gauphine contained 10’7 per cent. of absolute alcohol. In theHungarian wines the alcohol varied from 8’9 to 11’5 per cent., Ithe mean being 9’996. In the Greek wines, from 10’1 to 11’8 ’,per cent.

’

IThe practical deductions from these figures are, that the

Burgundies are stronger than the Clarets, but by no means somuch so as might have been anticipated ; that the Hungarianred wines are stronger than the Burgundies ; and the Greekwines, again, are more potent in alcohol than them all. Hadthe difference in alcohol been expressed in degrees of proofspirit, the variations would have been more striking.

The volatile acids, especially acetic acid.-It may be right toexplain that the acetic acid found in wine is derived from, andis formed at the expense of, the spirit or alcohol ; so that thegreater the quantity of that acid present, so much the lessalcohol. In the 17 Clarets tested, the acetic acid ranged be-tween 0’56 grain (or rather more than half a grain) and 1’48,in 1000 grain measures of wine, or, including the Vaucleuse,2-12 grains, the mean being 0’942 ; in the Burgundies, theproportion varied from 0’40 to 0’92, the mean being 0’765 ; inthe Hungarian wines, from 0’60 to 1’34, the mean being 0 -962;and iri the Greek red wines, from 1.65 to 2’05.The conclusions from these figures are, that the Burgundies

contain less acetic acid, and are therefore milder than theClarets ; that in the Hungarian red wines the quantity isnearly the same as in the Clarets; while in the Greek wines itis somewhat high.

The fixed acids, including especially the tartaric.-The tar-taric acid in wines is derived entirely from the grape, and itexists in the wines in two states-free, and combined with abase, chiefly potash. It is principally in the former state, andalso in the form of bitartrate of potash, that it possesses acidproperties, and so augments the acidity of wine. In theClarets, the fixed acids, all calculated as free tartaric acid,ranged from 8 82 to 11’65 grains per 1000 grain measures ofwine, the mean being 10’48 ; in the Burgundies, from 8’91 to12’44, the mean being 10’39; in the Hungarian wines, from8’47 to 10’75, the mean being 9’75; and in the Greek wines,from 9-97 to 11-03.The conclusion with regard to free tartaric acid is, that none

of the wines presented any very appreciable differences in theamount.There are some reasons, however, for believing that the fixed

acids of wines, and particularly the tartaric acid, may be takento some extent as representing the quantity of grape employedin the manufacture of the wine, and hence their determinationbecomes of importance in any inquiry as to the purity of wine.We do not insist upon this as a fixed rule, but it is one whichwe believe will often be found to obtain.The same remark applies with still more force to the quan-

tity of tartrate of potash present in any wine : the greater theamount, the larger, as a rule, the quantity of grapes employedin the manufacture of the wine. In the analyses given, thetartrate is put down in the form of the neutral tartrate, andthe quantity was obtained by simple calculation from theamount of alkali in the ash. This method is not exact, and isliable to error in any case in which an alkali has been em-

ployed to neutralise the excessive acidity of any wine. Taking,however, the results thus obtained, we find that the tartrateof potash in the Clarets varied, per 1000 grain measures, from

2’767 to 5’21, the mean being 3’625 ; in the Burgundies, from2’61 to 4’04, the mean being 3’337; in the Hungarian wines, from2’ 76 to, in one sample, 6’l7, the mean being 3 688, or, exclud-ing this sample, to 3’19; and in the two Greek wines, from5’9 to 6’01. These figures disclose the unexpected result thatthe Burgundies contain less tartrate of potash than the Clarets.How this anomaly is to be explained is not apparent: pro-bably by a difference in the composition of the grape, and inpart by the practice of using sugar in the manufacture ofBurgundy.

This appears to be the place to make a few observations onthe effects of the acidity of wine. It seems to us that there isa good deal of error and prejudice afloat on the subject of theacidity of wine. Acid in wine is regarded by the wine merchantand by the consumer as something injurious, and even per-nicious. We doubt whether this view of the subject is inmost cases correct. The acetic and tartaric acids are bothvery wholesome acids ; and when they are consumed, as theyso constantly are, in salads, and in the grapes and other fruitswe eat, they are almost invariably regarded as wholesome andhealthful. How comes it, then,’ that even a minute quantityof these, and especially of the former acid, is held to be sopernicious ? We believe that in the majority of cases it is anerror thus to view it, and that the acids in good sound Claretscontribute to the wholesomeness of these wines. There are nodoubt gouty and dyspeptic persons with whom most if not allacids disagree and are injurious, and of course acid wines arenot well suited for such persons. But the Clarets and theclosely allied Burgundies are intended for the healthy as wellas the sick; for the former they are specially adapted, andthe presence of acid in them constitutes no real or solid objec-tion to their general use. There would appear to be reasonfor believing that in the case of a morbidly sensitive stomach,prone to throw out acid, the combination of alcohol and acidas it exists in wine is more prejudicial than the acid alonewould be. Lastly, when acetic acid i’s present in any wine insuch quantity as to denote great unsoundness of the wine, itis of course in every respect objectionable. It is also preju-dicial to the value of a wine when the quantity is so great asto injure its flavour.

(To be concluded.)

THE PUBLIC HEALTH : QUARTER ENDINGSEPT. 28TH, 1867.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—The annual mortality of the ten large cities and

boroughs in England for the quarter just ended, compared withthe corresponding quarter of last year, was as follows :-

The high death-rate in Liverpool for the summer quarter of1866 was owing to the prevalence of cholera.London and Bristol have been remarkably healthy this sum-

mer, but in all the other places the public health has beenunsatisfactory. Infantile mortality from diarrhoea and scar-latina was excessively great.

Manchester has lately decided to have an officer of health,but so nearly was the project being negatived by the TownCouncil of that city, that on a division the numbers were foundto be equal, immediately on which the mayor gave his castingvote in favour of the proposition.The Town Council of Birmingham have been memorialised

in two petitions of the inhabitants of that borough to appoint amedical officer. To the second memorial were attached thesignatures of eighteen borough magistrates, the leading mem-bers of the medical profession, and the principal householdersand tradespeople of the town. The petition was also signedby a large number of merchants and manufacturers, besidesmany other eminent and influential mercantile houses. Theprayer of the memorialists is under the consideration of theTown Council.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant,Birmingham, Oct. 2nd, 1867. THOMAS L. PLANT, F.M.S.THOMAS L. PLANT, F.M.S.