Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-04-21
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Authorizations.

all the manufactured articles we use, or col
sumo, are adulterated. The coin we carr
in our pockets il we are so fortunate as ;
have any, is amalgamated with metals Of les
value than its base. The nickel is compose
OF a little of valuable metal, and larg
amount Of a metal far less valuable Ever
our silver and gold coins are considerably
adulterated, and il has become necessary fol
the United States government to coin a
"trade dollar Of the same standard OF pu-
rity with the coin Of the nations with which
we have commercial relations. The trade
dollar" is especially made for the Chinese
market. and il is not little singular that
the nation which has the purest religion
should have the basest coin, while the
country that believes in demons and wor-
ships lizards and snakes, should have the
soupdest currency We do not wish to in
innate that adulteration of coin, keeps pace
with the progress Of Christian civilization,
but it certainly will be gain in civilization
when we can show AS pure currency as
our greatest heather neghbor
We believe that the adulteration Of the
precious metals in the manufacture Of all the
articles Of ornament or use in this country
is peculiar to our people. The purchaser of
common articles Of ornament, such as rings,
pins, bracelets etc, etc, in any other coun-
try, is protected from imposition 10y the law
full inspection and stamp Of the government
Nothing is offered for sale as gold or silver
which has not the government mark upon it,
so that the buyer is always sure Of the ao-
tual value Of what he prccures. But in this
country, the purchaser is not protected by
any inspection. lie has to look out for him
self, and he is fortunate if he does not buy
oroide for gold, and amalgam for silver, and
rubber for ebony Ignorance is at the mercy
Of craft. Adulteration runs through all the
manufactures of the precious metals, and
the buyer is to guard himselfas best he can.
And this system of aduteration the gov
eminent itself begins. II has issued de-
preciated coin, and, as if that was not
enough, it issues a deprecated currency.
Its own promises to pay are adulterated with
falsehood, and il sets the people, in their COM
mercial relations, the example Of rapacity
and cheating. Nor can it, when its own
morale is so bad, protect the people from other
forms of adulteration.
But of all forms of adulteration that which
is most general aud most injurious in its eff
fects, and from which we are the least able
to protect ourselves, is the adulteration of
food. This is fraud which does harm
to something besides the pocket. II is GER
tainly not agreeable to think that we are
drinking chicory and beans instead of cof
fee, that our milk is composed largely of wa
ter and chalk, and other organic matter of
the vilest kinds; that our butter is mixed
with lard and with carrots that we have
alum aud bones in our bread lime and
gypsum in our sugar; sulphuric acid for
vinegar; copper in our pickles, and all sorts
of mineral poisons in our tea, confectionery
and medicines. 1t is quite certain, however,
that there is nothing in our shops, that is
manufactured and kept for sale, which is not
adulterated and re-adulterated. The buyer
is defrauded by the merchant, the mer-
chant by the manufacturer, and the manu-
facturer by the producer. While one man
is picking the pocket of another, another
mans hand is still deeper in his own.
DIR. Hassall, London chemist, and Mr..
Wakley, the editor of the Lancet, proposed
several years ago to institute, for the public
benefit, an extensive and rigorous series Of
investigations into the condition of the yari-
GUS articles Of diet which were supplied to
the inhabitants of that great metropolis.
The inquiries were based upon actual obser-
walton and experiment. The miscroscope was
the principal agent used in the detection of
falsiicatons in food The exposure was
fully carried out, and the vendors of adulter-
ated preparations were published, together
with the analysis Of the articles sold. The
result of these exposures was that the market
of London in few months was cleared Of
these fraudulent wares. Those who were
dishonesty selling them were put to shame
aud those who were ignorantly selling them
were able to change their stocks for better.
The detected parties, who were aware of
their own rascality, fretted and ragged but
they were unable 10 stand against the storm
of public indignation, and were obliged to
Withdraw their false stocks. The result was
that genuine articles alone found ready sale
in the market where their genuineness was
authenticated by competent examiners and
inspectors.
Recent publications show that the adulter-
alton of food aud medicine is carried on in
this country quite as freely as ii was in Eng
land before the exposure of the practice.
Recently, Of twenty-four samples of bread
examined by chemist in Boston, all were
adulterated with alum. The quantity Of
alum in these samples varied from sixteen
to an hundred and sixteen grains to pound
of bread. Another chemist says, "As a re-
suit OF a careful analysis Of bread bought
in different parts of the city, not loaf was
found free from alum" Milk is often adul.
terated with more innocent fluids which
hasten is decomposition and produce injuri-
Gus effects upon the consumer. II is some
times adulterated with materials that are
positively noxious; but the aduteration is
so easy to detect that il is not commonly
persisted in. Very often, however, it is adul.
terated before it is produced, in the kind of
food which is given TO the COW food which
produces large flow Of milk but of an insa-
luxurious quality.
Butter is adulterated with salt, lard and
water. Sometimes the adulteration amounts
to twenty-five or thirty per cent. The pres
ence Of foreign articles for ooloring, either
in butter or cheese, may not be called adul-
terations, but it is certainly Justification of
the article. Good butter needs no carrot.
These coloring materials are used to increase
the beauty Of the article, aud so add TO its
price in the market but they usually dimin-
ish the real value and introduce am element
which effects such chemical changes and mod
ifeations as greatly deteriorate the product.
Anything introduced into -four, milk,
cheese, butter, or bread to improve the APP
pearance or weight, or cheaper the value, or