Alcohol Albumin Extracts Bavarian 3.45 0.61 5.3 beer Pilsner 3.46 0.4 5.0 English and American beers, however, are much stronger in alcohol; thus Scotch ale contains 8.50 per cent. of alcohol; London porter, 6.90 per cent.; lager beer, 3.90 per cent. Beer is also of nutritive value on account of its sugar and dextrine, which are in considerable amount, especially in dark beers; it also contains an appreciable amount of albumin. On the other hand, beer has the disadvantage of forming uric acid in considerable quantities, as shown by Walker Hall and Haig. Beer also conduces to obesity. There can, however, be no harm in taking a small amount of light beer every day. Wine contains proteid substances, carbohydrates, and salts. In some kinds of wine, like port, sherry, Tokayer, Malaga, and Madeira, there are large quantities of sugar. The alcohol contents of the different kinds of wine are given by Rubner as follows:— per cent. Tyrolean wines 8.3 French red wine 9.4 Rhine wines 11.1 Palatial (Pfalz) 11.5 wines Mosel 12.1 Thus, Tyrolean wines are the lightest, French wines come next, but Mosel wines are the strongest, in spite of the popular belief that they contain only little alcohol. Wines contain more acids than beer (0.41 per cent. to 0.69 per cent., according to Rubner), whereas beer has only 0.1 per cent. As wine contains vegetable acids, just as do vegetables and fruit, they may be of a certain dietetic value on this account. We do not think it harmful if old people drink, every day, a few glasses of good French claret, although we are not prepared to indorse the dictum of Hufeland that wine is the milk of the old. Much greater precaution must be taken in the enjoyment of spirits: brandy (cognac), whiskey, and rum. These beverages contains 50 to 60 per cent. of alcohol. Still we do not think that small amounts of whiskey, if taken occasionally and in measured quantities, can be dangerous. Care must be taken to get whiskey of good quality. There can be no doubt, however, that when large quantities are taken, as in dipsomania, old age is brought on sooner. It is claimed that after taking whiskey less uric acid is eliminated than after taking the other alcoholic beverages, as beer or some kinds of wine. Coffee, tea, and cocoa also belong to the class of stimulants, and we will treat of them in a special chapter, as also of tobacco.