The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-04 00:00:00

MARCH 4, 1856.]

ADULT_ERATIO2C OF FOOD, 4ec.

Tea Select Committee, consisting of Mr. Scholefield, Mr
Cowper, Mr. Alderman Cubitt, Viscount Ebrington, Viscount
aoderich, Mr. Gregson, Lord Claud Hamilton, Mr. Kinnaird,
lir. Knight, Mr. Moffat, Mr. Otway, Mr. Peacocke, Mr. She-
ridan, Mr. Swift, Mr. Charles Villiers, and Mr. Wise, met on
Friday to receive further evidence.
Dr. Alfred Taylor was the first witness examined, who
stated that he was Professor of Chemistry at Guy's Hospital,
and that his attention had been directed to adulterations
generally, but more especially the mixture of poisons with
articles of food. The first substance he would mention was
e "Scheele's green," which was formerly very extensively used
to colour confectionery, although the use of it had much de-
creased since the inquiries of the committee. Two to three
grains of the poison would be sufficient to destroy life, and in
1854 no less than 14 children had died from the effects
of it. It was very much used as a pigment, and he had
himself discovered it on the bottom crust of some loaves
brought to his table, and, upon inquiry, it was ascertained
that the shelves in the baker's shop had been painted with
this colour. He mentioned this circumstance to show
,how easily poisons might be taken without a person
being aware of it. There was no difficulty in substituting
4 harmless green in its place, but owing to its bright colour,
it was much sought after. In the blue colours he had not
found anything injurious. In the reds vermilion and red
lead were used, and in the yellow oxide of lead and chromate
of lead, which were very dangerous, and had been the cause of
the death of a child in 1853. With regard to all these colours,
others 'might be substituted which would be perfectly harm-
less, and the difference in cost would be of no moment. In
Prance several orders had been issued, forbidding the use of
these substances as well as many .others. The extract of
bitter almonds, which was very much used, was a most
Powerful poison, as it contained from 6 to 12 per cent. of
'Prussic acid. 20 drops of the oil had killed a woman 49 years
!I:f age in half an hour, and many suicides had occurred from
its use. As a rule, he believed it was not labelled as a poison
When sold. A compound of it called " almond flavour ' was
much used, but was very dangerous • there was one in-
stance in which half an ounce had killed a woman aged
39 in half an hour. The strength of the almond flavour
Would depend upon the strength of the oil from which
it was made, and this therefore made it the more dan-
gerous. If this flavour were added to a pudding, before
boiling, the prussic acid contained in the "almond" might
distil over, but if taken cold there was always the danger
of getting a dose of the prussic acid., The use of it by con-
fectioners, should be strictly forbidden, but at present there
was nothing of the kind, and any quantity was sold. The
Prussic acid might be separated from the oil, and it was then
free from danger ; the flavour and odour were chiefly owing to
the oil, quite independent of the acid, and there was no ex-
cuse for the use of it, except laziness and ignorance. Most
chemists sold the almond flavour, and, although there was a
rule in the profession that all poisons sold should be labelled,
yet there was such a difference of opinion as to what was
Poisonous that it sometimes went out without notice. The
Varicras essences, such as " peach flavour," &c., did not all con-
tain prussic acid, as some were distilled from other substances
sesuch, for example, as the flavour of the Jargoeelle pear and
the Ribston pippin, which were obtained from " fusel-oil,"
Produced by the distillation of grain. With respect to "hair
'dyes," he (Dr. Taylor) might mention that oxide of lead was
'extensively used, which combining with the sulphur in the
hair, produced a dark colour; and he had known a case
'where partial paralysis was caused, owing to the absorption
of the oxide of lead by the skin. When the hair dye was
'discontinued• the effect ceased. As to the colouring of pre-
served fruits and anchovies, he could confirm the testimony
of previous witnesses, but in the specimens of bread which
he had examined he had not met with any adulteration with
alum ; salt and carbonate of lime were sometimes present, but
nothing injurious. The bread to which he referred was of the
best quality, and the samples were but few—probably not more
that one or two in the year. If alum were present in small
quantities it would not be injurious, but the question was not
whether there was sufficient at any one time to cause injury,
but whether the continued introduction of this or any other
substance into the system day after day would not be most
hurtful. He had examined what was called unfermented
bread, made by. the use of carbonate of soda and muriatic acid,
and, as the latter frequently contained arsenic, it was neces-
sary caution should be used to obtain it pure. The mixture of
the soda and acid should be such that there should he no free
acid, and the bread would then contain only common salt, or
snuriate of soda ; but if arsenic were mixed with the acid it
Would remain. He had also examined German yeast, and
found nothing injurious in it. As to the adulteration of beer,
he could confirm what had already been stated to the com-
mittee. The effect produced upon the system by cocculus
indicus was very peculiar,, not amounting to intoxication,
but a loss of power, and a kind of waking dream, where
a person was conscious of things around, but without the
Power of motion. There was no mode of detecting the
Presence of this substance except from its effects. In the
bottle beer of London and Dublin there was nothing un-
wholesome. Strychnine he (Dr. Taylor) had never detected,
and he could not see any motive for its use. As to cocculus
indicus, it was difficult to see why it was imported at all.
Port wines were often manufactured from bad claret and bad
red wine, costing from 6d. to 7d. a gallon, by the addition of
a substaece•called " geropiga," consisting of extract of elder-
berry juice, Lisbon grapes, burnt sugar, brandy, bitter almonds,
and logwood. This was proved at a trial in the Court of
Exchequer last year, when the London Docks had been the
victims of a fraud .by the substitution of bad port wine for
good. He could confirm the previous evidence as to the adul-
teration of gin. Milk he had never found adulterated, except
by water. As to coffee, he (Dr. Taylor) was consulted by the
government in 1853, in conjunction with Dr. Carpenter, with
reference to the sale of the mixture of chicory and coffee ; and
from the inquiries made they came to the conclusion that
there was nothing in chicory to affect the health, and that in
certain proportion it was preferred by the consumers to pure
coffee. 'They recommended a mixture of six to ten per cent.
of chicory, but when it amounted to 45 to 50 per cent., it
would noelceibt be a disagreeable flavour. The only evidence
that the public preferred the mixture was obtained from the
sellers themselves. It was the-universal practice to mix it in
France. He next came to isinglass and gelatine. The
best Russian isinglass was made from the sturgeon, and came
from the Sea of Azoff, and cost about 18s. per lb. Another
sort, called the Brazilian, used by brewers for refining,
cost from 6s. to 10e. per lb. ; and this latter was often
substituted for the Russian. With regard to gelatine, there
were many different qualities in the market, as the specimens
produced-would show. One of them, the best, called "patent
refined isinglass," was a most valuable manufacture, and would
in time supersede the necessity for importation. It contained
all the valuable properties of isinglass, and lie did not agree
with what Dr. Letheby had stated .upon this. The French
gelatine was not at all fit for food, and the inferior sorts had
created a prejudice in the public mind against the name,
which it would take some time to remove. As to the quack
medicines so largely used by the poor, they contained gene-
rally very drastic purgatives, such as gamboge, scammony, &c„
and being-manufactured on a large scale, and often improperly
mixed, fatal results have occurred. He thought some kind
of check should be given, if it could be done without inter-
fering with the liberty of the subject. At present these me-
dicines wereeesed for all kinds of diseases, for many of which
they were decidedly prejudicial. Any one might compound
pills, whether .a professional man or not. Looking at the whole
question of adulteration, he thought there were three points
for the consideration of the committee —lst, that with re-
guard to some noxious substances there should be a prohibi-
tion of the sale; 2nd, where substances are actually mixed
with articles which may not be noxious per se there should be
a label attached to them • 3rd (which was the most difficult
question to deal with), where articles of food not necessarily
injurious are sold for others,—arrow-root, for instance, was
largely mixed with potato starch. In this there was nothing
unwholesome—in fact, there was no difference in the nutritive
qualities of the two substances. After giving some further
illustrations of his meaning, Dr. Taylor said he thought there
should be some public board appointed, consisting of five or
more persons, to determine all questions of suspected adultera-
tion. It required a knowledge of chemistry, botany, and na-
tural history, and the members of the board should be familiar
with these matters. fide thought the appointment of an officer
in a particular.district would not be found to work well, or be
at all satisfactory to the public. There had, no doubt, been
some exaggeration upon the subject of adulteration, but on
the whole he thought it extended so far as to bevery injurious
to the public, and that umong the poorer classes especially a
large amount of disease might be traced to improper food.
Until the committee commenced their inquiries last session,
the practice of adulteratiou had been increasing, but no doubt
a check had since been given to the evil. It had arisen in a
great measure from the desire to sell cheaply, and the public
had been supplied with an inferior article at a lower price.
Mr. James Abiss said he had been engaged in the wholesale
grocery trade for the last 24 years, and the only instance in
which he had met with adulterated tea was within the last few
days, when some tea which had been re-dried was offered to
him for sale. On the whole, he considered the statements
made to the committee bad been much exaggerated with re-
gard to tea, sugar, &c. He judged from his own experience,
but had not made any analytical examination. He also denied
the evidence that had been given with respect to the substitu-
tion of wild nutmegs for the cultivated berry, or cassia for
cinnamon bark. As to the admixture of chicory with coffee,
he admitted it was done, but he was sure the public preferred
it. He had never met with any complaints, but, on the con-
trary, at the time when chicory was prohibited, many of his
customers discontinued the use of -coffee altogether. There
avas no deception in the sale of the mixture, as it was stated
to be a mixture on the label, and the public got decidedly a
better coffee at ls. per pound, owing to the addition of the
chicory, than they possibly eonld without it.
The committee then adjourned.

The extensive milling concerns of Mr. Ballantine, in Derry
were .completely destroyed, with all their contents, on Sunday
week, by fire. The loss is estimated at from £lO,OOO to
£15,000.
PRESENTS FROM THE SULTIN.—AaIi Paella has been
charged by the Sultan to transmit to the Empress Eugenie,
and Queen Victoria two diadems in brilliants. The Sultan
has also sent to the Emperor Napoleon a sabre, mounted with
precious stones.
The Queen has presented to the London Orphan Asylum
Clapton, 300 guineas, to purchase for the Prince of Wales the
right to keep one child always in the asylum during the life-
time of his royal highness.
RESPITE OF THE MURDERER CORRIGAN.—OR Saturday
afternoon Sir George Grey sent a respite for this prisoner, for
whose execution on Monday morning all the preparations had
been made. It is understood that he will be imprisoned forl
life.
GENERAL WILLIAMS.—The many friends of Genera
Williams will be glad to learn that this distinguished officer is
gradually recovering at Tiflis, from his late severe attack of
illness. By accounts received in London on Saturday, we
hear that the gallant general was out of danger, and that, al-
though suffering from the effects of climate and disease, ap-
prehensions were no longer entertained for his life. His young
friends and followers were removed a few miles further into
the interior of Russia.
THE capital engaged in the Scotch fishing trade is at least
£2,730,000, and is expended among some of the poorest of the
Population; in boats, lines, and netting alone, the capital em-
ployed amounts to above £580,000. The fisheries employ
10,000 boats, and give direct employment to upwards of 65,000
Persons, including 38,000 actually occupied as fishers. The
grand total quantity of herrings cured during the eight years,
1848 to 1855, amounted to 4,942,80 V, barrels, of which
1,650,5801 were branded: and in the eight years, 1840 to
1847, to 4,292,691 i barrels, of which 1,267,2852 were branded.
The grand total quantity exported from 1848 to 1855 was
2,528,319 barrels, and in the preceding octave of years
2,108,424', barrels.