3. (Clater.) Sulphur and emetic tartar, of each 1 dr.; linseed meal, 4 dr.; palm oil, q. s. to form a ball. One every morning, having prepared the animal with a physic ball containing 1 dr. of calomel. See Balls; also Tuson’s ‘Veterinary Pharmacopœia.’
VIN′EGAR. Syn. Acetum, L.; Vinaigre, Fr. Dilute acetic acid, more or less contaminated with gum, sugar and vegetable matter.
1. Malt Vinegar; Acetum, British vinegar (B. P.); Acetum Brittannicum
(Ph. L. & E.), L. This is the ordinary coloured vinegar consumed in this country, and is correctly described in the Ph. L. as “impure (dilute) acetic acid, prepared by fermentation from an infusion of malt (malt-wort).”
In the manufacture of MALT VINEGAR a mixture of malt and barley is mashed with hot water, and the resulting wort fermented, as in the common process of brewing. The liquor is then run into barrels, placed endways, tied over with coarse canvas, and arranged side by side in darkened chambers, moderately heated by a stove, and freely supplied with air. Here it remains till the acetous fermentation is nearly complete, which usually occupies several weeks, or even months. The newly formed vinegar is next run off into two large tuns, furnished with false bottoms, on which some ‘rape’ (the pressed cake from making domestic wines, or the green twigs or cuttings of vines) is placed. One of these vessels is wholly, and the other only about 3-4ths, filled. The fermentation recommences, and the acetification proceeds more rapidly in the latter than in the former tun, and the liquor it contains consequently matures the sooner. When fit for sale, a portion of the vinegar is withdrawn from the smaller quantity, and its place supplied with a like quantity from the full tun, and this in its turn is refilled from the barrels before noticed. This process is carried on with a number of tuns at once, which are all worked in pairs.
Prop., &c., The general properties of malt vinegar are well known. Its pleasant and refreshing odour is chiefly derived from acetic acid and acetic ether. Its strength is distinguished by the makers as Nos. 18, 20, 22, and 24; the last of which, also called ‘proof vinegar,’ is the strongest, and usually contains about 4·6% of real or about 5% of glacial acetic acid. Its density varies according to the quantity of foreign matter which it contains. Sp. gr. 1·017 to 1·019—B. P. This vinegar usually contains a small quantity of sulphuric acid. The presence of 1-1000th part of this acid is allowed by law.
Pur. “Brownish; of a peculiar odour. Its sp. gr. is 1·019. 1 fl. oz. of the acid is saturated by 1 dr. of the crystals of carbonate of soda. If, after 10 minims of solution of chloride of barium have been added to the same quantity, more of the chloride be poured into the filtered acid, nothing further is thrown down. The colour is not changed by the addition of hydrosulphuric acid.” (Ph. L.)
2. Wine vinegar, French v.; Acetum Gallicum (Ph. E. & D.), A. vini, L.; Vinaigre d’Orleans, Fr. This is prepared, in wine countries, from grape juice and inferior new wines, worked up with wine-lees, by a nearly similar process to that adopted for malt vinegar. That prepared from white wine (WHITE-WINE VINEGAR) is the most esteemed. It is purer and pleasanter than malt vinegar.
Sp. gr. 1·014 to 1·022—Ph. E.; 1·016—Phillips. It usually contains from 5 to 6% of acetic acid. “100 parts of good Orleans vinegar should require 10 parts of dry carbonate of potassa for saturation.” (Soubeiran.)
3. German, or quick-method of making vinegar; Process of Ham. This method is based upon the fact, that acetification is the mere oxidation of alcohol in contact with organic matter. Hence, by employing dilute alcohol, or liquors containing it, and by vastly enlarging the surface of the liquid exposed to the air at a proper temperature, we may reduce the period occupied in acetification from weeks to as many hours. In practice this is effected by causing the dilute spirit, previously mixed with 1-1000th part of sugar or malt extract, or the fermented and clarified malt-wort, to slowly trickle down through a mass of beech shavings steeped in vinegar, and contained in a vessel called a vinegar generator (essigbilder), or graduation vessel. This is an oaken tub, narrower at the bottom than at the top, furnished with a loose lid or cover, below which is a perforated shelf (colander or false bottom), having a number of small holes, which are loosely filled with packthread about 6 inches long, and prevented from falling through by a knot at the upper end. The shelf is also perforated with four open glass tubes, as air-vents, each having its ends projecting above and below the shelf. This arrangement is repeated a second and a third time, or even oftener, according to the size of the vessel. The tube or graduator at its lower part is pierced with a horizontal row of eight equidistant round holes, to admit atmospheric air. One inch above the bottom is a syphon-formed discharge pipe, whose upper curvature stands one inch below the level of the air-holes in the side of the tub. The floors or partitions of the tub or generator being covered with birch twigs or beech chips to the depth of a few inches, the alcoholic liquor (first heated to between 75° and 83° Fahr.,) is introduced at the upper part of the apparatus. This immediately commences trickling slowly down through the holes by means of the packthreads, diffuses itself over the chips or twigs forming the respective strata, slowly collects at the bottom of the tub, and then runs off by the syphon-pipe. The air enters by the circumferential holes, circulates freely through the tub, and escapes by the glass tubes. As the acetification proceeds, the temperature of the liquid rises to 100° or 105° Fahr., and remains stationary at that point while the action goes on favorably. The alcoholic solution or wort requires to be passed three or four times through the cask before acetification is complete, which is, in general, effected in from 24 to 36 hours.