Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-30
sueRr,wxTGHTs AND ADULTERA.
TAANR AF FNan.

R|t& I.|Ill your Disc q refrain.
:. AUD so4f ApontaheoHs gratitude
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sHeRTWETUHTs AND ADULTERA-
TaeES OF FOOD.
! is perhaps not wonderful that
sub fraudslare practiced upon gov
rriments, when, in the operations of
tIade and commerce, we see man
kind practicing SO many receptions
upon each other The adulteration
Of various articles of food has long
been a subject of complaint in Eng
land, and recent investigations have
disclosed the fact that in one at least
of our great "centres of trade this
practice is carried on to such an ex-
tent that it would warrant the com
plimentary British orators at dinner
festivities to Americans E. designate
them as their "adultefated cousins"
The New ork Ford, having de
aSssI6d special reporter, who visited
many places of business and made
extensive purchases of articles,
which were afterwards reweighed
and submitted to a chemical analy-
sis, expresses an. opinion that "the
loss to consumes by false weights
and adulterants IS full fifteen per
cent, and the aggregate of such
losses in city ike this is really as
founding when we reckon the popu-
lation and their purchases. The one
million people On theisland, count
ing all classes, cOnsuAe an average
value of food amounting to one dol
lar daily for each person, rich and
poor. This is an aggregate of ST.
100000 week and S365SOO,O 900 a
year--so- that with fifteen par cent.
Of cheating the People are atuallv
svindled out of s54, 100000 every
year IN then purchases of foodo
Amongfle articles adulterated
eefee1s ps0ninent, it being the habit
or iraupu.eit dealers in New York.
p ia Englan, to mix If Iorno,,, "a
licory and,aso oronnd VIZ,
own spf s
rsgar is tempered with by
--ss- use of -four, potatoes and tapio-
ca starch; even sand and plaster are
sometimes introduced to make bulk
and weight, and, aside from the adul-
terations, some of the lower grades
of sugar are frequently filled with
immense numbers of live animal
cula, said to he the cause of the
disease known as grocer's itch
Vinegar is often little less than dilu.
ted sulphuric acid largely adultera
ted with arsenic; even corrosive
sgblimate is used by some manufac
tutTs to give strength to vinegar
and PICKLES are often boiled in cop
per to>Sive them the light green
color whhb is so much admired
An old trick<o swindle flour-dealeri
is to open TIN bottom of barre
of fine flour and Substitute an articl,
of inferior quality. When the buye
opens the top of the barrel he ffnd
it all right, but when he gets abou
half way down he discovers, tn
fraud by which the grocer hA,
gained from one to two dollars
False weights are alleged to b
/ Practiced not only at the grocers o
New York, but the markets and tn
coalyards They prevail most i
the article of tea, which is adultel
ated besides, being q compound Q
" tea leaves once used, sloe, oal
willow, elm, poplar and hawthor
leaves, with various poisonous co,
orings, and catechu and sulphate G
iron for taste" The Chicago Tri
6uRe says that as startling an e1
pose of cheatings by dishone'
tradesmen may be made in Chicago
in proportion to population, as
New York. This infamous swine
ling falls most heavily upon tn
A N-'>who are compelled to mai
purchases in small quantitia
|, for instance, who is able [
only a dollar a day for mea
bles and groceries, if cheatC
fifteen per cent. in adulter
and weights, loses S54 Z
sch might BE saved or spent
- II advantage. This is a star
-~s3ls,- a.aal',si.iop->and ought to NAL
housekeepers keep a bright looko
as TO what they buy and the weigh
and measures given them. 1t is
be hoped that other cities and tow
in the United States are entirely fir
from the rascalities of the alleg
plundering and poison dealers
New York. The U0rld states tina
is receiving from all quarters than
"ud commentator for its exp0su
of the light weight and adulterati
frauds practiced in that city; a
Mr.. Boole, the city sealer of weigI
and measures, states that t
World'S raid upon the retailers I
caused a corresponding rush up,
pis office; and that where one q
er used to come to have his sea
BED, a hundred come now.
Al