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

IsEßai 4, 1856.]

ADULT_ERATIO,7 OF FOOD, cc,

TIM Select Committee, consisting of Mr. Scholefield, Mr.
eATer, Mr. Alderman Cubitt, Viscount Ebrington, Viscount
Oderich, Mr. Gregson, Lord Claud Hamilton, Mr. Kinnaird,
41:. Knight, Mr. Moffat, Mr. Otway, Mr. Peacocke, Mr. She-
11dan, Mr. Swift, Mr. Charles Villiers, and Mr. Wise, met on
niday to receive further evidence.

ur- Alfred Taylor was the first witness examined, who
„ Zated that he was Professor of Chemistry at Guy's Hospital,
° that his attention had been directed to adulterations
general] but but more especially the mixture of poisons with
t't,,icles of food. The first substance he would mention was
4.'oeheele's green," which was formerly very extensively used
bo colour confectionery, although the use of it had much de-
Lreaaed since the inquiries of the committee. Two to three
grains of the poison would be sufficient to destroy life, and in
no less than 14 children had died from the effects
of it. It was very much used as a pigment, and he had
121 self discovered it on the bottom crust of some loaves
t• ight to his table, and, upon inquiry, it was ascertained
kat the shelves in the baker's shop had been painted with
113 is colour. He mentioned this circumstance to show
1,"7 easily poisons might be taken without a person
e aware of it. There was no difficulty in substituting
t4alltless green in its place. but owing to its bright colour,
ilas much sought after. In the blue colours he had not
1 .4CI anything injurious. In the reds vermilion and red
:ad„ were used, and in the yellow oxide of lead and chromate
Veal, which were very dangerous, and had been the cause of
~"4„e death of a child in 1853. With regard to all these colours,
j:6ners might be substituted which would be perfectly harm-
• and the difference in cost would be of no moment. In
'ranee several orders had been issued, forbidding the use of
it!3'e substances as well
as any others. The extract of
itter almonds, which much used, was a most
14w, erful poison, as it contained from 6 to 12 per cent. of
ssic acid. 20 drops of the oil had killed a woman 49 years
p°,, l'a '
;+' age in half an hour, and many suicides had occurred from
•u• se. As a rule, he believed it was not labelled as a poison
mach
sold. A compound of it called " almond flavour " was
'neh used, but was very dangerous ; there was one in-
;alice in which half an ounce had killed a woman aged
4in half an hour. The strength of the almond flavour
,icqid depend upon the strength of the oil from which
,'" Was made, and this therefore made it the more dan-
''retts If this flavour were added to a pudding, before
ho' •
~thag, the prussic acid contained in the " almond" might
'!stil over, but if taken cold there was always the danger
ketting a dose of the prussic acid. The use of it by con-
ectioners, should be strictly forbidden, but at present there
:'4B nothing of the kind, and any quantity was sold. The
bee
acid might be separated from the oil, and it was then
the
from danger ; the flavour and odour were chiefly owing to
"Qe oil, quite independent of the acid, and there was no ex-
etl,se for the use of it, except laziness and ignorance. Most
°E"lnists sold the almond flavour, and, although there was a
Ne in the profession that aon sold should be labelleds,
3'et there was such a differell pods
nce ofs opinion as to what wa
poisonous that it sometimes went out without notice. The
,
!iatts essences, such as " peach flavour," &c., did not all con-
Z'a Prussic acid, as some were distilled from other substances
ksach, for example, as the flavour of the Jargonelle pear and
Ribston pippin, which were obtained from " fusel-oil,"
'educed by the distillation of grain. With respect to "hair
dye▪
s," be (Dr. Taylor) might mention that oxide of lead was
't.ensively used, which combining with the sulphur in the
', produced a dark colour ; and he had known a case
ere partial paralysis was caused, owing to the absorption
°f
t• he oxide of lead by the skin. When the hair dye was
'seentinued the effect ceased. As to the colouring of pre-
'rred fruits and anchovies, he could confirm the testimony
tPrevious witnesses, but in the specimens of bread which
41 had examined he had not met with any adulteration with
11111133 salt and carbonate of lime were sometimes present, but
ahlg injurious. The bread to which he referred was of the
t quality, and the samples were but few—probably not more
t•
one or two in the year. If alum were present in small
;Iptqatities it would not he injurious, but the question was not
killether there was sufficient at any one time to cause injury,
,t Whether the continued introduction of this or any other
bastance into the system day after day would not be most
6
111fal. He had examined what was lled unfermented
• Made by the use of carbonate of soda ca
and muriatic acid,
~m, as the latter frequently contained arsenic, it was neces-
-3rl caution should be used to obtain it pure. The mixture of
the Soda and acid should be such that there should be no free
aeid, and the bread would then contain only common salt, or
*Mate of soda; but if arsenic were mixed with the acid it
4111 d remain. He had also examined German yeast, and
nd nothing injurious in it. As to the adulteration of beer,
he could confirm what had already been stated to the corn-
The effect produced upon the system by coccuhiS
I„,u, leas was very peculiar, not amounting to intoxication,
a loss of power, and a kind of waking dream, where
„Person was conscious of things around, but without the
)'veer of motion. There was no mode of detecting the
resence of this substance except from its effects. In the
rattle beer of London and Dublin there was nothing -un-
Zholesome. Strychnine he (Dr. Taylor) had never detected,.
i,11.,. he could not see any motive for its use. As to coeculus
rims, it was difficult to see why it was imported at all.
,°,rt wines were often manufactured from bad claret and bad
.4eq wine costing from 6d. to fid. a gallon, by the addition of
substance called " geropiga," consisting of extract of elder-
-3' juice, Lisbon grapes, burnt sugar, brandy, bitter almonds,
logwood. This was proved at a trial in the Court of
„aehequer last year, when the London Docks had been the
,tetinas of a fraud by the substitution of bad port wine for
I°°4- He couldeonfirm the previous evidence as to the adul-
ration of gin. Milk helad never found adulterated, except
Y Water. As to coffee, he (Dr. Taylor) was consulted by the
rvernment in 1853, in conjunction with Dr. Carpenter with
eerence to the sale of the mixture of chicory and coffee; and
;Till the inquiries made they came to the conclusion that
""ere was nothing in chicory to affect the health, and that in
!• ta,.. in proportion it was preferred by the consumers to pure
',.aee. They recommended a mixture of six to ten per cent.
°, chicory, hut when it amounted to 45 to 50 per cent., it
;110uld no-doubt be a disagreeable flavour. The only evidence
the public preferred the mixture was obtained from the
I,euera themselves. It w the universal ractice to mix it in
best Russian isinglass was made from the sturgeon, and came
nna the Sea of Azoff, and cost about 18s. per lb. Another
Lt)tt, called the Brazilian, used by brewers for refining,
'''l3t from 6s. to 10s. per lb. ; and this latter was often
Zlbstituted for the Russian. With regard to gelatine, there
ere many different qualities in the market, as the specimens
1)1.0(1 uced.would show. 'One of them, the best, called "patent
eahed isinglass," was a most valuable manufacture, and would
in time supersede the necessity for importation. It contained
~„
• the valuable properties of isinglass, and he did not agree
*all 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,
hich it-would take some time to remove. As to the quack
medicines so largely used'by the poor, they contained gene-
‘-!•.113' very, drastic purgatives, such as gamboge, scammony, &e„
~s`''.(l being manufactured on a large scale, and often improperly
11-led, fatal results have occurred. He thought some kind
;It eheck -should be given, if it could be done -without inter-
(rag with the liberty of the subject. At present these me-
%eines were used for all kinds of diseases, for many of which
pills,
were decidedly prejudicial. Any one might compound
whether a professional man or not. Looking at the whole
74estion of adulteration, he thought there were three points
°l' the consideration of the committee-Ist, that with
i 4 re-
.4ard to some noxious substances there should be a prohibi-
-I°ll of the sale ; 2nd, where substances are actually mixed
kith articles which may not-be noxious per se there should be
4 label attached to them ; 3rd (which was the most difficult
question todeal with), where articles of food not necessarily
illjarious are sold for others,—arrow-root, for instance, was
,argely mixed with potato starch. In this there was nothing
Allwholesome—in fact, there was no difference in the nutritive
!laalities 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
I,l?orersons,-to determine alluestions of supected adultera-
'i'°/1-e p
It required a knowledge of chemistry s ,
botany, and na-
Ural history, and the members of the board should be familiar
Nth these matters. He 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
4°l4e exaggeration upon the subject of adulteration, but on
the whole he thought it extended so far as to be very injurious
10 the public, and that among the poorer classes especially a
until
amount of disease might be traced to improper food.
the committee commenced their inquiries last session,
the practice of adulteration had been increasing, but no doubt
Check had since been given to the evil. It had arisen in a
Peat measure from -the desire to sell cheaply, and the public
had been supplied with an inferior article at a lower price.
11r. James Abiss said he had been engaged in the wholesale
ery trade for the last 2t years, and the only instance in
laich he had met with adulterated tea was within the last few
when some tea which had been re-dried was offered to
~,"1111 for sale. On the whole, he considered the statements
_"uade to the committee had been much exaggerated with.re-
td to tea, sugar, judged from his own experience,
'Alt bad not made any analytical examination. He also denied
tjle,evidence that had been given with respect to the substitu-
tion of wild nutmegs for the cultivated berry, or cassia for
?:anamon bark. As to the admixture of chicory with coffee,
ie admitted it was done, bat he was sure the public preferred
t'. He had never met with any complaints, but, on the con-
NM at the time when chicory was prohibited, many of his
qtstomers discontinued the use of coffee altogether. There
‘1.143 no deception in the sale of the mixture, as it was stated
1.) 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 could without it.
The committee then adjourned.

The extensive milling concerns of Mr. Ballantine, in Derry
!ere completely destroyed, with all their contents, on Sunday
kl6iveeh, by fire. The loss is estimated at from £lO,OOO to
,000.

PRESENTS raw& THE SULTAN.—AaIi Pacha has been
'oarged by the Sultan to transmit to the Empress Eugenie,
NQueen Victoria two diadems in brilliants. The Sultan
„lati also sent to the Emperor Napoleon a sabre, mounted with
vl'ecious stones.
,ithe Queen has presented to the London Orphan Asylum
41}ton, 300 guineas, to purchase for the Prince of Wales the
p eht to keep one child always in the asylum during the life-
Itte of his royal highness.

pDESPITE OP TILE MURDERER CORRIG.e.s.—On Saturday
!,ternoon Sir George Grey sent a respite for this prisoner, for
chose execution on Monday morning all the preparations had
°en made, It is understood that he will be imprisoned forl

uPIIIIERAL Wxu.t.ints.—The many friends of Genera
'villiams will be glad to learn that this distinguished officer is
&l adually recovering at Tiflis, from his late severe attack of
h`4BB. 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.
I:ehensions were no longer entertained for his life. His young
finds and follower s were removed a few miles further into
nterior of Russia.
k2T,.RE capital engaged in the Scotch fishing trade is at least
p0,,30,000, and is expended among some of the poorest of the
Dulation;:in boats, lines, and netting alone, the capital em-
16°Yed amounts to above £580,000. The fisheries employ
De'2oo boats, and give direct employment to upwards of 65,000
:-sous, including 38,000 actually occupied as fishers. The
1.413(1 total quantity of herrings cured during the eight years,
to 1855, amounted to 4,942.8071- barrels, of which
4,,V,5804 were branded : and in the eight years, 1840 to
11,w, to 4,292,691* barrels, of which 1,267,2851 were branded.
2`e„ grand total quantity exported from 1848 to 1855 was
2:;48,319 barrels, and in the preceding octave of years
'°8,4241 barrels.