The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-03-01
Adulterat5os, OF L,o,,ors

A letter from DR.. Hiram Cox, official Tn.nec-
tor Of liquors at Cincinnati, has been published.
which contains some remarkable statements rel
alive TO the adulteration of liquors. He saws
that Cincinnati druggist, DESTROYS of obtaining
some pure liquor as mendecna article pur-
chased IN New York two halfpipes of extra
"Seignette brandy" Que pale and the other dark.
lie called tie Doctors attention to his ''beauti-
full pure brandy" which the Dr.at once tested bv
inserting some blue "litmus" paper. It came
out as red as scarlet. He then put polished
spatula' Ian instrument for spreading plastersd
INTO tulr bier containing half gill of the liuuo)
allowing 1t to remain fifteen minutes, at the enr
OF winch time the liquor was as bluch as ink
The spatula corroded, and when dried n thick
coating OF rust appeared, which when removed
lett copper coat almost as thick a, if i. had
been plated. chemical analysis of these Gu-
uors resulted as follows:
First sample (dark) 80 per cent alcoholic
spirits by volume, and Al per cent by weight
specific gravity. 0,9l5 The test indicates Sui
Pturlc Ac1d, Nitric Acid, Nitric Ether Prussia
41csd, Guinea Pepper. and an abundance of PusH
OF. Base-Common whisky, and not one drop
of wine. wy
Second sample. (pale), "a per cent. alcoholic
cifc gravity, O955. This article has the same
adulteration as the first, but in greater album.
dance with the addition Of Catchuc.
The druggist was forbidden to sell the brandy
and IN consequence refuses to pay the New York
dealer tor 1t. The latter sued him in the Cincin
natl courts, but lost his CASE the poisonous char
acter OF the liquor being fully demonstrated
The Dr. remarks:
Il was appointed to the office of Chemical In.
spector on the 18TH day of March, 1855. Since
theh nave made upwards of 600 inspections of
stores ana lots OF liquors of every variety, and
positively assert that 80 per cent, of all that T
nave anaiyzed were adulterated with fhe most
pernlclous and poisonous ingredients Since nv
appointment have, as phys clan to the Probate
Court, examined upwards of 500 insane cases.
two thirds OF which number became insane from
drinking the poisonous liquors sold at tie dog
ceres ana tayerns OF our city and country. MANY
OF them were boys of from i9 to 20 years of age.
some OF whom were laborng under a hereditary
talnt-and perhaps in many tf them the mem
tai arrangement would never have been devel
oped had they not drank of those poisonous de-
coctions."
The following incident shows what SORT of IL
quor Is furnished to the poor fellows who frequent
low groggeres
Il called at a grocery store one day, where Ii
qxor also is Kept. couple of Irshmen came in
while was there and called for some whiskey.
ana tne nrsG crank, and the moment he drank the
tears flowed freely, while he at the same time
caught his breath like one suffocated or strang-
ing. When he could speak, he says to his COM
panlon, Oeh, Michael, but this is WARMING To
the stomach Michael drank and went through
like contentious, with the remark, Wouldn't it
be toine IN = could frnosty morning z?
After they had drank, asked the landlord to
pour me our little IN tumbler, in which I
dipped slip of litmus paper, which was no soon
er wet than Ii put on scarlet hue. [ went to
my office, got my instruments and examined it.
found 1t had II per cent. alcoholic spirits by
weight when it should have had 40 per cent. to
be proof and the difference in per centage made
up by Sulphnrie Acid, Red Pepper, Pelitory, Cos
TIC Fotosa, and Brucine, one of the salts of NJ
Gle Vomitoe, commonly called NM Venice
One pint of such liquor would kill the strongest
man"