The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-07-24 00:00:00

ADULTER.4IT,IOIV*, OF, FOOD,

THE Committee of the Hou.sa,of Commons on the important
subject of the adulteration of food, drugs, &c., re-atsembled on
Wednesday, and, proceeded to hear evidence.

Dr. Hassall produced two samples of pickles, battled fruits,
and vegetables, one in the, natural state, and the other arti-
ficially coloured with salts of copper. He also produced two
bottles of anchovy sauce, one of the natural colour, nearly
approaching_ white, and the other of a deep , brick colour,
owing to the presence of bole armenian in the proportion
of 3.01 b. of the earth to WO. gallons. He farther• exhibited
some specimens of coloured sugar confectionery,, the colours
being chromate of lead„ red lead, arsenite of.copper, Bruns-
wick green, gamboge, and ,cochineal, the prepense of which
could be;. detected independently of any analysis. Messrs.
Crosse and Blackwell. had acknowledged that previous
to the,appearance of the articles in the Lign.cet, they had
been in the habit of practising the adulteration referred to,
but have• since discontinued doing so. With !reference to
the natural and adulterated sauces, the taste is decidedly
in favour of the u.neoloured article. The practice of
col;: _ prevails throughout the trade. French tomato
sauce does -not cputain any colouring_ matter, the English
does. The speciragra of non-coloured , sauce were obtained
from •Crosse and Blackwell, who had made it purposely, and
intended now, to, sell only that. Found them always very
anxious to assist the inquiry in any way. M. Soyer had
infOrmecl.him that Messrs. Crosse and;Co. had ceased to vend-
c:onsn
feeqcutieonnceerye.f:
won
uildng
nsootmebeofantyhesearidoula;-
: the, fruits andyegetables adulteratedas. formerly. The effect
jurraoutney
deehnailir:CireAll:sunlinofeas they were dalb,. in the habit of doing 801
when the consequences might he. serious. Witness did not'
think the. present inspectors of nuisances would be alio°,
diScher&e.the duties of inspectors, of adulteration at the same.
time;. they might be made. available in some way. He
believetlithat a periodical publication of the names of trades-
men _selling _adulterated articles would have the effect of
checking the practice. I, answer to several questions as. to
whether the genuine zutieles. would not be much dearer than
the. adulterated, Dr. Hassall said he thought there would
not be much difference. In the United States there is an
inspector of imported, articles, and if they are found to be
adulterated they are rejected ; in France there are somewhat
similar regulations iu, force, the authority being', in the hands
of the government,
_ _

Mr. R. Warrington said he was connected with A.pothecaries'
Hall as chemical dispenser and resident director. Has adulte-
rations brought to him to examine. With regard to tea, two
samples were brought to him in 1844, by an Excise officer, for
the purpose of ascertaining if they were genuine. Examined
them with the microscope and found the, whole of the tea was
faced with a colouring matter composed, of turmeric and a
white material, like soap stone, and, sulphate of lime or gyp-
sum. Made many inquiries to ascertain whether it was done
in this country or elsewhere, and obtained many interesting
samples for examination. One large tea merchant, to whom
witness mentioned the sulieet,. asked him if he had seen
" unglazed tea," and, upon inquiring what this term meant,,
was told there were two kinds, of tea—one glazed, and the other
unglazed. Witness produced specimens of tea from Assam,
the new district of the East India Company, all unglazed.
The glaze is often put upon bad and damaged teas.
Another specimen produced was a tea imported under the
East India Company's old charter : it has a slight glaze, which
was done by the Chinese at Canton to equalise the tint. It is
simply Prussian blue. Sulphate of lime, being an absorbent,
is'added to make the tea stand the sea voyage better. In
America teas are much more highly glazed than here. Prus-
sian blue is not injurious, being an insoluble substance,
although some of the highly glazed teas might cause injury to
some constitutions. The specimen of "lie tea produced, is made
in China. The term is a Chinese one, and denotes a " false"
tea. There was an immense quantity imported, and it was
endeavoured to pass it as a manufactured article, and not tea,
but the Customs do not permit it. Wholesale houses know
perfectly well what "lie tea" is. It contains 50 per cent, of
inorganic earthy matters ; that is, if 100 grains were calcined,
50 grains would be Obtained unburnt, and the residue con-
sists of colouring matters and the sweepings of the floor.
Is not aware whether the officers of the Customs could detect
the " lie tea" from the others. There is no question but that
purer teas were imported before the trade was thrown open,
and this was owing to the East India Company's inspectors
at Canton. The " he tea" is comparatively a modern
invention, since the demand by the merchants for a
cheap tea, as the Chinese will manufacture any article asked

for according to the price paid. " Lie tea" is easily detected
by pouring boiling water on it, when it dissolves, leaving the
earthy matters ar the bottom of the vessel. The "glazed"
teas are never drunk in China, being made only for exportation.
A Chinese plant is also sometimes sold as tea, which costs
not more than lid. to 2d. per lb. Some of the teas are mixed
with the "lie tea" before leaving China, and these will be
found to contain 11 to 22 per cent., of earthy matters, while
"lie tea" itself contains, as before stated, 45 or 50 per cent.
Respectable houses would not use such an article. The
greatest adulteration takes place before the tea arrives here,
although there was one case in particular in Manchester
where tea leaves and other leaves were collected, and
by " glazing" and other means made to resemble new teas.
As to opium none is imported pure. The juices obtained from
the poppy will never dry beyond a certain consistence ; some
leaves of other plants are therefore added to bring it into a
cohesive state. The College of Physicians have power to exa-
mine and inspect all chemists' and druggists' shops, and this
poicer is exercised once a-year ; but the examination is very
cursory and not sufficiently accurate to be of any benefit.
an agreement between the Admiralty and the Apo-
of
the
navy, has notaod beenhahalf
p7liee, s
the
et
wthhoisle
'power
thecaries'ilerei
s Hat; Society, by which they may examine their
exercised.establishment
The a t y t
Hall
sz.,,ui
the army, and the East Company. Believes Messrs.
Savory have the other hail': With regard to Turkey
rhubarb, knew that one ni‘nufactory at Banbury
produced 20 tons per annum. it is very inferior to
Turkey, fetching about 4d. per ;b., while Russian
rhubarb is worth lls. 6d. Russian rhubarb comes
from the Tartar districts, and is monopolised by the Russian
government. It is brought to St. Petersburgh by the
caravans, and thence exported. It is a great delusion to
believe that rhubarb comes from Turkey ; the China rhubarb,
commonly called the Turkey, is worth about 7s. 6d. per lb, ;
at the present time the price is very high indeed. Many
chemists profess to obtain their drugs from Apothecaries'
Hall, but it is not thefact. The Hall does not supply more
than seven or eight. Cod liver oil is another drug in which
there is an immense adulteration. The oil to be obtained
at the Hall is from Newfoundland. In case of the oil being
coloured, it is owing to the liver of the fish being allowed to
putrefy. This case of adulteration is most difficult to detect,
even to an experienced person. There are certain
tests published, but the presence of even 5 per cent.
only of the pure oil will yield the required result.
Several specimens of mustard have passed through wit-
nessfe bands, all greatly adulterated, containing from 27 to
30 per cent. of inorganic matter, such as sulphate of lime.
The genuine should give only 41 to tsi per cent. Isinglass is
very much adulterated with the ordinary gelatine. Chloro-
form is nut so much adulterated, if care is taken in purchasing.
There is alaraye this danger attending its use, that if kept long
it undergoes' decomposition, the elements reactingon each other.
Quinine is another drug much adulterated:
Dr. NormandYf a physician, said the articles-which had come
under his observations were very numerous, and were theresult
of ten years' investigation. He would first meation bread and
flour, in which the' adulteration consisted in the addition of
alum, which seemed- to be the almost exclusive substance
used for the purpose; He had found it so ill mixed with
the bread as to present itself in the shape of crystals• of the
size of a pea. It has the curious property of imparting to
bread of second or third' rate quality a whiteness winch could
only be obtained by the use of the best flour ; alidanother
property of much more importance to the baker was -that it
enabled him to force into-the brad a large quantity of water,•
thus adding to the weight: The amount of alum in the 41b.
leaf was sometimes 500 grains, and 250 grains and less in•the'
loaf. It was decidedly injurious to health, even in small,
quantities, to people of weak digestive powers. When thrdbse
was-repeated day after day the-injury was greatly aggravated
by creating a disorganised stateaf the digestive organs. The'
injury to children would be still-greater, by undermining the-
constitution. Carbonate of magnesia is sometimes used to '
correct the acidity of bad flour; it will also add to the weight
Clay is arse sometimes present, and potatoes; but had never met'
with potato starch. Knew the mixture called " baker's stuff,".
sold by some druggists ; it is alum mixed with salt. Had heard
of the snbstanee, " German yeast," which had been introduced
into this- country in great quantities,- and was said to pro-
duce a very peculiar disease, but ke-had• not examined it.—
In reply to a, question, Dr. Normandy said, he thought ordi-
nary chemists knew nothing about chemistry; they were
simply sellers of drugs. From his own-observation he knew
tea to 'be 'adulterated with magnesia and. the silicate of mag-
nesia. Even the chests of tea are sometime& opened and
Heir contents taken out, and after being-mixed are returned
and resealed, so'that a person buying a chest of tea cannot be
certain of having an original article. Believes there is no
mode of detecting the adulteration of tea-without analysing
it. Knows such adulterations are praefeedby the wholesale
tea-merchants id" London.

The-committeethen adjourned until Fridayrwhen Dr. Nor-
mandy* gave' furtl*r evidence. He said:a-Coooa is largely
adulterated with brick dust, red ochre, stale. tallow, and
ground tocoa-nut shells. He had examined 150sam.ples, And
found many. twelve-per cent. of the two•fOrmer. All pre-
parations of cocoa arenrore or less adulterated,. and• the only
way the public can obtain the article pure is -by purchasing
the nibs. Coffee is adulterated, in addition to-chicory, with
roasted grain and some. root similarly prepared, which was
either parsnip or carrot, Chicory is used to the extent of fifty
per cent.,. and this erplains, how coffee (so called). can, be sold
at ls. per 1E; when the cost price, including' roasting, is not
less than Half' a pound of coffee at that price, and
the same quantity,,ofehioory at 4d. per lb.r would leave a
profit of 303.1- Coffee is much less adulterated in France,
where the' retailers • roast' the berry daily for• themselves,
and many private, consumers do the same.- Chicory is
used, but not tat all. to, the same extent as-in England.
He had givensorae attention to the adulteration of malt
liquors, an& was of =opiaiom that, in this care; .the - fraud is
committed layAhe-publican. He had found a difference of 50
per cent. in the quantity. of alcohol containe:L in • porter ob-
tained from the brewer and. that sold by the publicans.. The
only adulteratizig matters-he-luta found was salt mzd. sulphate
ht •' • ; ...-
produce a geed ." head" Ire- had been informed-by drugpats
that they soaeocaius- indieus and extract of gentian to-pub-
lions, and a few years agole-hod seen a cart before apublie-
house, with the. worclsi " brewers' druggist " afterthe.'name
on the side; but he believes, the publicans aro-usually sup-
plied by decayed tradesmen, who call on them for orders; and,
conduct their business privately. Coculus indicus -produces ef-
fects similar to those of alcohol, and enables the publican to -add
a quantity of water to his beer. Then, as the water diminishes
both the colour and the bitterness, extract of gentianis used
to restore thelater, and-the addiUon of ammonitaor hartshorn
imparts darkness. It will render pale ale as darkvas-porter.
He knew no. means.-of' determining the quantity of coculus
indicus presentin beer ; he could detect half a grain .of strych-
nine,
and sulphate .of•iron is easily detected, butthe latter
he had found in ;only two or three instances. The adultera-
tion of beer could easily. be-detected by the quantity of alcohol
it contained. Quassia, ooukli not be easily detected-;:its-pro-
perties are the same. as- those- of gentian, and; .are not, at all
deleterious. He. had never found nux vomica in .beer„ but
understood that Tit was-used in adulterating been; its- proper-
ties are the same -as- those-of coculus indicua,_and its effects
would be the same. Thesubstances used in adulterating gin
are sulphate of- potash and; alum, for fining; oil tolvitriol. and
oil of almonds, for:. beading; grains of parafiNei. a- red
berry having properties- sanilar- to those of pepper, sulphuric
acid, and coculus .indium.. He had met with...a. case in
Dr. Taylor's work, on poisons of death homing; resulted
from the presence of cocubis indicus in ram. The- adul-
teration of spirits, like- that of malt liquora, lie be-
lieved to be.. ascribabie• to the publicans.. - The- frauds
of this kind , committed in the trade are sa. extensive
that the revenue.-musb suffer very considerahlyf Pine-apple
rum owes its,flavour.to the- use of an essence manufactured by
chemists in this country,. and modern discoveries- in. science
have enabled.fruit essences (so called) to be producedain Nigh
perfection—by-chemical processes. Fruit is-not used at all;
the essencesare,chemiaal imitations. The flavour of British
brandy hasheen greatly improved of late years by the same
means, the.chemists hoeing discovered the means-of imitating
the flavour of brandy. He had analyzed many. samples-
of London. Trak, but had never discovered any othexadultera-
tion than, the mixture-of water. He enumerated the adultera-
tions which he had discovered in drugs and chemicals, many
of whielf,he.stated, are calculated to materially affect the
result, if.the medical attendant is not aware,of the-extent and
nature' of, the adulteration. Calomel is adulterated very
largely,with.,chalk.,, and Epsom salts (sulphate of magnesia)
with. Glauber's. salts (sulphate of soda),, but the-two, salts have
the same effect. _ •

Prdessor of the Pharmaceutical. Society, gave
evidoce as-to•the adulteration of drug§ .; ;and Mr. Blackwell,
of the, fixacof Crosse and Blackwell, as to the adulteration of
pkiklea. The• committee will meet again tQ,morrow.

EAVI L ENCOUNTER ON,- THE WEST

COAST OF AIP-Rthli

'NE following are authentic particulars of an attack made
by the British troops on the ling, chiefs, and town of Mala-
gealt, Mallicouri river, and of thesevere loss sustained :
On the 21st of May, at a p.m., Captain Fletcher, Ist West
India Regiment, commandizg.- the troops at Sierra Leone, re-
ceived an order from Acting4ov,ernor Dougan to embark 150
men of all ranks on board the screw steam gun-vessel Teazer,
3. At 6 o'clock all were on, boards. consisting of the Ist and
3rd West India Regimmts, commanded by Captain Fletcher.
Lieutenants Strachan and Wylie, off the Ist, Lieutenant Vin,
cent of the 2nd, and Lieutenants 'Kerr and Beazley, of the 3rd,
West India Regiment :,I?epaty-Assistant-Commissary-General;
Firth, Commissariat Staff ; Staff-Surgeon Merchant, and As-
sistant-Surgeon Bradshaw. The Teazer anchored at 9 a.tut.on
the 22nd off the town,of Malageak, and, after firing a 32-pound
shot and a 16-pound shell over the town, a flag of truce. was
hoisted at the king's, house, upon which Captain Fletcher
landed the troops. under cover of the steamer's guns, consulted
with the joint commissioners, Lieutenant-Commander Nicolas
and Mr. Dillet, private secretary to Acting-Governor Dougan,
and granted One, hour to the king to hold his " paiver." At
the expiration of one hour and a-half the troops. advanced to
the centre of the town without opposition, and set fire to the
mosque, the king's house, and several other buildings. The
intense• heat of the flames compelled the troops to retire to the
boats, on reaching which a smart fire was opened upon them
by the enemy in ambush at each side of the landing-place, and
five soldiers were wounded. The Teazer was reached without
further opposition, when it was discovered that a portion of
the town remained unburnt : another consultation was held,
and it was determined to drop down to Binty Point, at the
mouth of the Mallicouri, and reduce Malageak to ashes, ac-
cording to the instructions of Acting-Governor Dougan.
On the morning of the 23d, at an early hour, Commander
Nicolas poured into the town (which was still in flames)
and the adjacent bushes grape, cannister, and shells. In
half-an-hour the troops again landed without opposition and
advanced. Commander Nicolas and Mr. Dillet headed the
leading division to point out the houses to be burnt, Captain
Fletcher and Lieutenant Wylie following with the main
division to support. In a moment the small advanced division
appeared to be attacked by an overwhelming force. Mr.
Dillet fell to the rear, wounded in the head and left leg ;
Commander Nicolas shot through both thighs ; and Sergeant-
major Scanlon, of the 3d, and several men were killed. Captain
Fletcher was driven back to a small bank of mud and sand
near the entrance of the Malagea ; Lieutenant Wylie was
wounded and subsequently killed; Lieutenant Vincent shot
through the body; Paymaster Edwards, of the Teazer, shot
in the head and heart; Deputy-Assistant-Commissary-General
Firth taken prisoner ; and the men fell rapidly, killed by the
enemy's fire. One boat succeeded in reaching the Teazer ;
but the pinnace, with 30 to 40 men, in pushing off, filled and
capsized, riddled with bullets. The soldiers were either
drowned, shot by the enemy, or butchered when they gained
the banks of the river. Of the 150 men of all ranks embarked
172 were killed, 12 wounded or missing, and nine taken pri-
soners (since released).
On the 24th of May the Teazer returned to Sierra Leone
with the survivors of the troops.