The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-05-11
ggs g
POIsONOus LIQUORs.
for Beer DFrnEs1. Sa 10 Think
Ftom az cfnctnnan Gnsetle.

Something for Beer Drinkers to Think
About.
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
The English Government Commits
sion tInternal Revenue, has an Ex-
else Chemical Department, whose re-
ports furnish matter indicating the
state of commercial morality. The last
report gives some interesting statistics
on the English national beverage, beer.
It appears that the consumption is
largely increasing, the quantity brew
ed having increased from II ,SS4, ,770
barrels in 1857, to 25 3ss, 600 barrels In
1866, being an increase of over 40 per
cent, while, the growth of population
was only 6. .2S per cent. ~ ~ 1E
Ofthe samples Of beer and materials
used by the brewers, more thsn two
thirds of the whole number were
found to contain Illicit ingredients. In
the list nTe found coculus indicus, to-
bacco, grains OF aradise, chillies, cori-
ander, carawAy and mustard seeds,
quassia, chiretta, gentian, ginger,
chRmonile flowers, sweet flag, worm
wood, horehound, aloes, caramel,
lIquorice, treacle, chicory, snlphuriC
al id, saltpeter, carbonate of soda, and
common salt. .-r s--.
aThiss is an appalling. list, but ~tbis
number of articles used in Rdulteration
is the most favorable view, for those
most used are the worst. at the head
of the list are coculus in6icus and to-
baceo. Although there is only the
most minute legitimate use for the first
of these in England, more than 9,4OO
pounds were imported in 1866.
Morrice's Treatise on Brewing, which
gives full directions for the use OF this
Ingredient, directs that three pounds of
coculus indicus be added to every ten
quarters of malt. He says sit gives an
inebriating quality which passes for
strength of liquor" and further, ''it
prevents second fermentation in bot
tied beer, and, consequently, the burst
ing of bottles in warm climates" The
amount imported would, at this rate, be
sufficient to Adulterate more than 12O,-
900 barrels of beer.
DR.. Pereira's Materia Medica says of
Its properties, ait is poisonous to all
animRlSn Sa sit acts on the cere-
bro spinal system, causing staggering,
trembling, teIRniC commissions and In
sensibility.n ALondon paper says, ga
scientific friend of ours, desirous OF
testing the action of picrotoxin, the ne
tive principle of coculus indicuB, on his
own system, took crystal scarcely
perceptible to the naked eye. The Inn
GA4GCt was a Au6h VI b4OOuN "
the head; the veins of the neck stood
out like cords, and feeling of sufoca-
ton ensued; the ,extremities became
cold, and u confusion of ideas follow
ed. So. ~
He says that ain spite of all attempts
at relief, the effects OF the poison were
felt for two or three days." This fear
full amount of deadly poison is put in
the drink Of Englishmen. And home
opathtsts hold that the potency" of the
article Is increased by its dilution. In
the convention of Physioians OF this
school at Glendale, on the I'd, one of
them stated that he gave female pa
tienI afflicted with a violent attack of
asthma, the ten-thousandth attenua-
ton, which relieved her almost Instant
ly.. --al-s .,-.-.. '-.
Thus the extensive distribution of
this poison, so far from making 1t OF no
effect, raises its potency" In its con-
Centrated form it was fearful enough.
Tobacco Is one of the vilest and most
repulstye adulterants OF beer, and Is
well known for the nausea, giddiness
and stuPefying effect which it pro-
duces, -fFa y 5'E --a 'i-'7a
This is concerning England; but there
are the same Inducements to these
frauds in this country; and If they are
not now committed it is dangerous to
have the virtue of our brewers expos
ed to this temptation, lest in time some
may give way.
When government extends its super
vision into any new lines, 1t seems to
us that il can find no better field than
to inspect the adulteration OF food and
drink, Why not seize an article for de-
ceptive adulteration as well as for short
weight. There are many things of
common use which purchasers do not
expect to find pure. The only question
is, to what degree has the adulteration
been carried2 Would not an officer ap-
pointed TO inspect all commodities, and
TO seize and destroy all that he found
mixed for deception, create healthy
in trader