There is a difference between vinegar and acetic acid, but not too much.
Acetic acid is a colorless, pungent liquid acid of carbon, hydorgen and
oxygen in these proportions: CC+HHHH+OO.
 
Vinegar contains acetic acid along with the distillate/fermentation
products of cider, wine or beer and contains calcium, magnesium,
potassium, phosphorous, sodium, and iron.
 
Under its Latin name, acetum, vinegar is defined as a solution of medical
substances in diluted acetic acid and is seldom prescribed by physicians
except in certain circumstances.
 
Medicine is defined as the treatment of disease medically as
distinguished from surgery.
 
Apple cider vinegar is used in the proportions of 1 milliliter of vinegar
to 200 milliliters of water in the systemic control of Siponaptera (fleas)
on dogs and similarly for ferrets in the proportion of 1 milliliter of
vinegar to 400 milliliters of drinking water.
 
It is used routinely at this facility in ferret drinking water.
 
So, one may ask, is vinegar a medicine?  One would reasonably conclude
that it is a medicine if one defines flea infestations as a disease,
nicht wahr?
 
Do hope that this minor contribution is of some little benefit to the
recent discussion about vinegar.
 
Edward Lipinski, Chief Technician in Charge of Cage Cleaning and himself
a drinker of vinegar water at
Ferret Endowment for Research, Rehabilitation, Education & Training
Society, North West, aka F.E.R.R.E.T.S., NW.  a 501 (C) (3) Charitable
Foundation.  Contributions are tax deductible.
[Posted in FML issue 3329]