1860 A Treatise on the Manufacture , Imitation, Adulteration and Reduction of Foreign Wines, Brandies, .

168

DISTILLATION.

makes its appearance in it. On approaching the nostrils to such whiskey slightly heated, this volatile matter irritates the pituary mem– brane and the eyes powerfully. Such whiskey, intoxicates more powerfully than pure alcohol of equal strength, and produces even tempo– rary frenzy, with subsequent sickness and disordered functions."'\ This oil may be ex– tracted from diluted alcohol by agitating it with an unctious oil, and then distilling the oil along with water. At the end of three or four months, this volatile matter disappears in a great measure, even when the spirits which contain it are inclosed in well-corked bottles, obviously from its undergoing a spon– t aneous decomposition. When acetic ether is added to well purified or clean spirits, such as the distillers call silent whiskey, it gives it somewhat the flavor of brandy. For this purpose also, the spirits are rectified from bruised prunes, or the lees of the Cognac distilleries, whereby they ac-