POISONED DRINKS.

Patea Mail, 14 September 1880, Page 3

POISONED DRINKS.

An analysis of spirits retailed by certain well-known publican’s in Sydney, made at the instance of the Evening News , resulted in tho following discoveries : —“ Brandy was‘found to be locally manufactured, and composed entirely of potato spirit, burnt sugar, hydrated oxide of ethyl (fusel oil), spirits of nitre, and flavoured with essential oil of cognac.” Oil of cognac is described as “of German manufacture, largely exported to the colonies, and easily procurable in Sydney and other places.’’ A small phial of it will “flavour a hogshead.” Whisky was declared to be a compound “ white spirit, oil of tar (creosote), and saccharine matter.” Bum was said to contain “ sulphate of copper (bluestone), cayenne pepper, and amylic ether,” Gin was found to be “ white spirit, strongly flavoured with oil of juniper and Strasburg turpentine.” Of two samples of colonial beer, one contained “salt, grains of paradise, and chloride of sodium,” and another “ salt and pricotoxine, or the active principle of cocculus indicus, or India berries.”