. Ditto ditto
"The only alcohol that can be estimated quantitatively is Ethyl
Alcohol.
"There is no methyl, and the higher alcohols, as shown by Savalie's
method, only exist in traces. The spirit is flavoured by more than
one essential oil, and apparently oil of juniper is one of these
oils.
"The liquid contains no sugar, and leaves but a small extract. In
my opinion the liquid essentially consists of a pure distilled
spirit flavoured with essential oils.
"Of course no attempt to identify these oils in the quantity sent,
viz., 632 c.c. (one bottle) was made. The ethers are returned as
ethyl acetate, but from fractional distillation amyl acetate was
found to be present.
"I have the honour to be, etc.,
(Signed) "G. H. ROBERTSON.
"Fellow of the Chemical Society,
"Associate of the Institute of Chemistry."
In a subsequent letter Mr. Robertson observed that he had been
"assisted in making the above analysis by an expert in the chemistry
of alcohols, who said that the present sample differed in no
material particulars from, and was neither more nor less deleterious
to health than, gin purchased in different parts of London and
submitted to analysis."
In addition to this analysis I have also one of Messrs. Peters' gin,
equally satisfactory, and as Van Hoytima and Peters are the two
great suppliers of the gin that goes to West Africa, I think the
above is an answer to the "poison" statements, and should be
sufficient evidence against it for all people who are not themselves
absolute teetotalers.
