Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 11 June 1878

Selling Adulterated Spirits of Nitre at Kilnhurst.

Yesterday, at the Rotherham Police Court, John Colbeck, chemist and druggist, Kilnhurst, was charged with selling four ounces of adulterated sweet spirit of nitre to Mr. Superintendent Gillett, on the 17th May.

A certificate from Mr. Alfred H. Allen, analyst, Sheffield, was handed in. It stated that the sample contained only 51·3 per cent. of real alcohol, instead of upwards of 80 per cent., and that spirit of the strength of the sample would result from the dilution of “sweet spirit of nitre,” or “spirit of nitrous ether,” of good quality, with about half its own bulk of water.

The defendant said he sold it in the same state as he bought it.

The Chairman said that it appeared that the stuff which the defendant called “sweet spirit of nitre” was rendered perfectly useless by the mixture of water.

Fined 40s., and the costs 14s. 6d.