, 1859-04-20
How they manage in france.

When shoplcepcr, milkman or any dealer
in provisions is detected in France in selling nd
dulteratcd articles, he receives most exem-
plaTy punishment. In some Instances noted
down bcfure Us, We find sentences recorded
which seem to show clear and wise apprccia-
tion Of the iniquity Of selling adulterated food,
md Of real value Of public health. Thus in one
instance milkman who had been convicted for
q fourth time on Charge Of falsifying alimen-
tart substances,' was sentenced to eight mouths
Imprisonment and d iue Of three thousand
francs. The same relative judgement was
awarded to others, each villain being also DOOM
ed to have sir placards posted up in different
places, 80 that the public might thoroughly
know whit sort Of food might bo expected from
them. This was, in fact, just enough: People
deceit, are not to be trusted. 1t is bettcr that
they should be placed in some occupation where
opportunity to cheat is less frequent. The fol-
lowing cases extracted from great number,
show The tariff Of punishment adopted:
"The widow Bainaldy, mitkwoman, FOR the
water, was sentenced to three monthsimprison-
mept aud So francs fpe. Mr.. Parisin, tnlkman,
@ street St. Benoit, milk fusiGed BIZ the sub
traction of cream. six days Imprisonment and
fifty francs fine. II. Cordier, wine merchant IA,
Rue Boutebrie, wine falsided by the addition Of
fine. II. Villin. grocer, &c Rue Pap;ncourt, coffee
falsified with chicory, si1 days Imprisonment aud
81 francs fine"
If such punishment be awarded by govern
ment which is not certainly cruel in its criminal
code, what measure Of correction We here in
America rnete out 10 those who deliberately
manufacture aud sell poisoned aud intoxicating
drinks7 Within week three new, apparently
well-nuthenticated cases have been recorded i'll
the papers of people who died, after brief
struggle, in consequence Of drinking strychninc
whisky If druggists and chemists, in the
scientifically delicate operations Of the 1abora-
tory, can make, in spite of every caution, dead
" mistakes, what are we to expect from the
gross Intoxicating atmosphere Of those Internal
dcns where poisons Of the most deadly kind liz
around in abundance, md where ignorant
quacks. the refuse Of tile chemical profession,
work, intoxicated, ut their dirty business! We
say the refuse for what decent chemist, the
member Of learned profession, would work ut
conntcrfritting business morally wickcdcr
and yilcr than forging money or bank-notes?
1fin France, mixing water with milk receives
eight months Imprisonment. three thousand
francs fine and posting, what does man de-
serve for putting strycllninc iu whiskey: Put
it as mathematical formula aud cipher it out!
as milk and water is to the most deadly poison,
SO is the punishment recorded to that which
ought to be awarded to giving the latter.
We commend attention to this subject to a
discerning. public, and with it candid compari-
son Of the French principle Of Furnishing and the
American Of toleratlng or virtually reward
ing udulteration. We would beg leave to
call attention to the fuct that the poison
dealers advertise openly in newspapers their
preparations and essences; that they hare
published serernl books ofreccipts which are to
be had by any one who wants them; and tinuly
that deaths from "trifing nlislakes' in making
UP their receipts are rapidly increasing Ger
tainly our criminal code is not as Jet "ilnproyed
about enough"