The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-03-09
ABBEYLLE H. SOUTH CAROLINA FRIDAY MORNING. MARCH g. 1856

hotels i'll Liverpool, through the green tea
being adulterated with arscnitc of copper,
Cocoa when in t!,c bean, was tolcrabIv free
from aduteration; but when ground, the
extent to which it was adulteratcd was sur
prlsing. There was cocoa sold in Manchcs-
ter to his knowledge containing 80 per cent.
OF clay. At cocoamanufactory, at a GER
tam hour in the morning, might he seen
cart loads of clay. This substance might
not be very injurious to health, but certainly
1T was not very nonrishing. Cocoon was oft
Ell adultcratcd Will, ocre, which would
prove highly pcrnicious TO a person of IL san
gunne temperament. Coffee and chcory
were well known together. 1t was to be
regretted that government, when lcgislatine
on this subject had not gone little further,
and initiated the example of France, Ger
many, and America, in testing the quality
OF food of the people. The presence Of
chlcory in coffee might be detected by pla-
eng the two substances in glass Of water,
when the chicorv fell to the bottom, but the
coffee hoatcd. But of late, machines had
been actually made in birmingham for man
ufacturing coffee berries, from anv chcap
stuff that rescmblcd coffee in appearance.
Butter water worked into it to increase
Its weight, salt being used to assist in the
taking up OF the water. To detect this
trick, melt certain weight of butter, and
weigh it, when it would be found how much
water it contained. He had known as
much as 20 per cent. Of water thus imprcr-.
mated with butter. Flour was added to
butter to give it Il fine appearance 1t might
tic detected by melting the butter, which
wond be like clear oil if pure, but the flour,
when present, would fall to the bottom or
might be detected with little iodvne, which
gave Il fine blue color with starch. Hogs
lard was also mixed with butter Honey
was aduterated with flour or starch, and
witt, what calico printers called "Lcxtrine."
or "calclned farina." In France and Spain
honey was adulterated with cheap sugars,
which had the taste and appearance of hon
cy. Flour and bread were extensively a,lul-
tcrated. 1t was necessary to know that
there were two distinct substances in -four.
VIZ: gluten and starch, which performed
very different purposes in the human frame
the starch being respiring iood Necessary to
mal,ltain the heat Of tn. body; while the
gluten renewed the flesh, or blood of man.
Now, rs the human system was constantly
wasting, it required to be rcplcnishc,l, and
the constituent parts of the food were nour-
lshed hy nature in the exact proportions
required for this renovation. If, therefore,
from 0 to IS per cent Of starch rice or
maize was mixed with the flour, though
these substances might not be poisonous,
they were detrimental to health.
When injured wheat was used, in which
the gluten had lost its property of assisting
III the fermentation, other means had to he
resortcd TO. Alum was much used for this
purpose, and also to make the bread white,
as well rs to assist it in absorbing the water.
The miller assisted the baker in adding al
UNI to tnv -four. lie knew chemical firm
in Manchester, whose principal! source Of
revenue was in selling alum to the millcrs.
In former times men ground their own
wheat, Or sent it to the ncighboring miller,
who was well known for an honest man,
and, therefore, the adultcratioa Of flour was
then not so much practiscd. But now a
great quantity of our wheat was ground in
America, and how could it be known what
adniicration might be practised there, un-
less orr food was analysed by those who
could tell of what it was composed? He
had tested sample from quantity of
wheat sent to Mill in Manchester, and had
found % per cent. of maize in it. The
vast quantity Of alum used in making bread,
must have very injurious effect. upon the
health. of the community. Mr.. Calvert
cautioned his auditors against the use of
baking powders in making bread, or in any
way experimenting chemically with their
food. Diseased meat was common arti-
Gle in the market, Notwithstanding the Wig
lance of the inspectors. His attention has
been drawn to the fact by the honest butch.
ers themselves, who naturally enough COM
planned of their dishonest competitors in
trade ~ = 80.
The people unfortunately, were tempted
BY the 1cheapness of the, meat to run the
risk Of injuring their health, and. were not
ablo to detect unsound meat, except when
it appealed to their sense of smell Bad
meat was brought into Manchester some
times III the milk cans. Ha pointed to
Newton Heath as one Of the lnost:.. prolific
places for diseased meat. Vinegar was
|adnltefated with suIphuric acid, or vitrioil.
He had purchased aSsample that day in,
Mancfester, which proved tos be nearly, all
yitrioE Yitriel was wortl, about 3-4d q
pound, and pound Of it;wyonld make many
gallons Of vinegar. Many of the yitsiols used
q manufacturers contained arsenic. and i
these kinds were used iin max king vinegar, The
danger was in6reased Vinegar instead 81
beng masle from sour beer sugar, Dr. was