WINE IS THE BEST MEDICINE

In vino, there is health, according to the author of this sparkling French entry, which has ""no scientific pretensions."" More than 450 references in the Bible document wine's prestigious heritage as ""no mere liquid"" but ""one of the noblest conquests of man."" To those who would say that wine breeds alcoholism and crime, the author responds with a ""challenge to defend the beverage which warms the hearts of men."" Bad hangovers and other ill-effects he blames on ""sick"" wine or ""adulterated products, the work of clever chemists."" He discusses in detail the soil that wine grows in, according to region, and its 250 chemical agents (magnesium, for example, defends against infection). We follow wine down the digestive tract, noting its role in stimulating secretion of saliva and bile. Specific French wines, along with the proper dosage, are recommended for a long list of maladies ranging from influenza to gout. California counterparts are given for American readers. The author admits that his advocacy of wine as a remedy is ""a bit rash, but nonetheless well-meant'; his book is a bit fruity, but nonetheless fun.