"TANNIN" IN SPIRITS.

Evening Star, Issue 6480, 22 December 1883, Page 2

"TANNIN" IN SPIRITS.

TO THE'BrJITOB. Sib,—Some few months ago a report was brought before one of our licensing benches by the police charging one or two hotelkeepers with selling spirits containing a quantity of " tannin," This was proved by the evidence of Dr Black, who had analysed the spirits, and his opinion, if I remember correctly, was thfkt "tannin" was a poisonous ingredient and detrimental to health. On this the police wished' to press a charge against the vendors, but tho bench refused to interfere until more was known as to the deleterious nature of " tannin." Since that time I have not heard that the matter has been further inquired into. X notice, however, by an advertisement in the ' Home News' of Bth November, reoeived by yesterday's mail, that English authorities consider "tannin " to contain " valuable medicinal properties," as witness the following certificate extracted therefrom, and referring to a brandy advertised "as bottled at Cognac, for medioinal and domestic uses," and for which agents have been appointed in Dunedin and elsewhere in New Zealand:—:'. . . ;, Laboratory, Gresham House, 24-Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C; This brandy is a pure grape spirit, remarkably rich in fragrant ethers; oon tains a large amount of tannin, derived from storing in oak casks, which imparts to fine old brandy one of its valuably medicinal properties, and will bo of the greatest vatae to the physician in those numerous coses were pure French brandy is the most useful of all medicines.—Edmund R. SoOTnBY, M.R.C.S., F.C S. —lam, etc., •■■'•• INQUIBKR, Dunedin, December 22.