Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-04-08
Adulteration Of Food.

% uoy VI sWO eluCe, anu IN the saue cOnnecttUn
we notice that at a recent meeting Of the
select committee of the British House Of Com
mons on this subject, DR.. Alfred Taylor, the
celebrated professor of chemistry at Guys
Hospital, testified as follows:
DR.. Taylor stated that his attention had
been directed to adulteratiop, generally. but
more especially the mixture Of poisons with
aftcies OF tood. The first substance he would
mention was " "Scheels green" which was
formerly very extensively used to color con-
tectionery, although the use of il had much
decreased since the inquiries Of the committee.
Two or tnree grains OF the poison would be
sufficient to destroy life, and in 1854 no less
than Ia children had died from the effects of
1t 1t was very much used as a pigment. and
he had himself discovered il on the bottom
crust of some loaves brought TO his table, and
upon inquiry it was ascertained that the
shelves In the bakers shop had been painted
with this color. He mentioned this circum-
stance to show how easily pOisons might be
taken without person being aware of it.
With respect to " hair dyes" he (Dr Tay-
lor) might mention that oxide of lead was eI-
tensively used, which, combining with the
sulphur In the hair, produced a dark color
and he had known case where partial para.
lysis 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 colOring Of preserved fruits and ancho-
vies, he could confirm the testimony Of previ-
Gus witnesses.
In regard to bread, 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 OF
any other substance into the system day after
day would not be most hurtful He had ex-
| amined what was called unfernented bread,
| made by the use Of carbonate Of soda and
| muriatic acid, and as the latter frequently
contained arsenic, il was necessary caution
should be used to obtain it pure
The mixture of the soda and acid should be
such that there should be no free acid, and
the bread would then contain only common
salt, or muriate of soda but IL 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 committee The effect
produced upon the system by coccuiNs tnatcus
we're very peculiar, not amounting to intoxi-
cation, but loss of power, and a kind of
waking dream, where person was conscious
of the 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 bottled beer Of London and
and Dublin, there was nothing unwholsome.
Strychnine he (Dr. Taylor had never detect
ed, and ha could not see any motive for its
use. As to cOecaLuS Indic,Gs, it was difficult
to see why it was imported at all.
As to the quack medicines so largely used
by the poor, they contained generally very
drastic purgatives, such as gamboge, scam
mony, &c, and being manufactured on a
large scale, and often improperly mixed, fa-
tai results have occurred. He thought some
kind of check should be given, if it could be
done, without interfering with the liberty Of
the subject. At present these medicines were
used for all kinds of disc ases, for many ef
which they were decidedly prsjudicial. Any
one might compound pills, whether profess
sional man or not Looking at the whole
question of adulteraIion, he thought there
we're three points for the consideration of the
committee-lst, that with regard to some nox-
ious substances there should be prohibition
of the sale; I'd, where substances are actually
mixed with articles which may not be noXious
per Sc there should be liable attached to
them 81, (Which was the most difficult ques-
tiOn to deal with,) where articles of food not
found necessarily injurious are sold for others:
arrowr0Ot, for instance, was largely mixed
with potato starch. In this there was nothing
unwholsome-in fact, there was no difference
In tho nutritive qualities of the two sub
stances.
After giving some further illustrations Of
his meaning, DR. Taylor said he thought there
should be some public board appointed, con-
sisting OF five or more persons, to determine
required knowledge Of chemistry botany,
and natural history, and the members of the
board should be familiar with these matters