But the perfection of adulteration is in gin,—cheap gin—“the _real_ comfort,”—patronized by the poor for its supposed GENUINENESS! This infernal compound of combustibles is distinguished from the other slow poisons to which a large portion of the population of “the queen of cities,”—our “modern Carthage,” make themselves the willing victims, by the poisonous nature of the ingredients of which it is composed.[E] These are the oils of vitriol, turpentine, juniper, cassia, carraways, and almonds, sulphuric ether or phosphorus, extracts of orris-root, angelica-root, capsicums or grains of paradise, sugar, and heading. The aid of lime-water and of spirits of wine is also invoked in the course of the operation. The purposes of these mischievous ingredients are as follow: The oil of vitriol is to impart pungency and the appearance of strength, when the liquor is applied to the nose, while the extract of capsicums or of grains of paradise is designed to perform the same office for the taste. The extracts of orris and angelica roots give a fulness of body and the coveted flavour called cordial to the large proportion of the compound, which consists only of water. The remaining oils are to give strength, the sugar to sweeten the composition, and the lime to unite the oils with the spirit; while the sulphuric ether, phosphorus, and heading are intended to give the semblance of being highly spirituous from the fiery taste, and the appearance of the light bead which is caused to appear and remain for some time on the surface of the noxious compound. The introduction of the white arsenic is intended to promote an irritable and feverish thirst, so that the poor deluded consumer may be compelled to have recourse to fresh potations of the “liquid fire.” The Hollands of the gin-shop keepers and advertising dealers is a commixture of a small portion of the genuine article with rectified spirits, peppermint, cloves, &c. The cordial, called Shrub, says Mr. Accum, Culinary Poisons, p. 257, frequently exhibits vestiges of copper, which arise from the metallic vessels employed in the manufacture of the liquor. But, had that ingenious gentleman been thoroughly acquainted with the manufacture of shrub in the cellars of spirit dealers, he would not have been quite so moderate in his remarks respecting this seductive “_cordial_.”