Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-13
Poisonous Sugars.

POISONOUS Sugars.
The alleged discoveries by special
Treasury Agents of fraud in sugars in
tended for export, by authorizations,
and more especially the reports that
sugars and syrups for home consumption
have been found to be extensively adul-
terated with injurious substances, have
created great amount of excitement
among sugar dealers on the one hand
and sugar consumers on the other.
There is scarcely any other product,
except flour, that enters so largely into
general consumption as sugar and arti-
cles made from sugars, and it is there
fore very natural thatpersons, especial
ly those who have children, should feel
excited when they find that chemists
have discovered in adulterated sugars
the presence of muriatic acid, tin, and
glucose. Many persons have asserted
that glucose is not injurious being a
product of corn; but one gentleman
who has used sugar and syrup daily,
in comparatively large quantities, told
a representative of the Commercial that
glucose syrup nauseates the stomach,
and anything that does this must he
injurious. He said that, being lover
of syrup, he had used it for years; but
several months ago, after taking syrup
over some cakes, he found his stomach
revolving. He was therefore induced
to have the syrup analyzed, and found
that glucose formed a large ingredient.
Since that time he had not used syrup,
nor allowed il to be used in his family,
as he considered it one of the causes of
the deaths of so many infants who per-
ish from internal diseases, such as
cholera infantum and diarrhea. 1t
was shown on evidence before the
Wood Committee that tin had been
discovered in syrup, and that deleteri-
Gus substances had been used in the re-
lining of sugars, in order to hasten the
work and cheaper the cost.
Pure cut-loaf sugar was quoted We'd
nesday on Wall street market at nine
and three-fourths cents per pound by
the cargo, and yet on Saturday night
previous cut-loaf' was sold at re-
tail groceries at ten cents per pound
by the seven-pound parcels. 1t is con-
tended that such cheap sugars cannot
be pure, for no business could be con-
Quoted on so small profit, when the
cost of carriage is added, to say moth
ing of the ordinary waste in handling.
Some of the sugars sold at groceries
have been analyZed and found 10 be
adulterated; but as the grocers say they
sell the sugar as they receive it from
the retineries, it appears evident that
the adulteration must be performed
there.
1t is stated that a New York mer-
chant purchased large quantity of re-
fined sugar last week for export to
Canada; that when he called on the re-
finers for the drawback certificate it
was refused, and that subsequently he
had the sugars analyzed and found them
adulterated. The first portion of the
story has been to some extent verified,
and the refusal of the certificate may
account for the last portion, as the doc
ument contains an oath which, falsely
sworn to, would subject both the refiner
and exporter to a penalty for perjury.
The first portion of the drawback
document contains the entry describing
the articles, quantity, value. by whom
manufactured, and where deposited
The second contains detailed account
of materials entering into the manu-
facture of the above articles, by whom
imported, when, where, and by what
vessel, the quantity, value, and rate of
duty paid, with the exporters signature.
Then comes the following OATH
l, -, proprietor and foreman of the -
refinery, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly
swear that the refined sugar described in the
within certificate was manufactured at our re-
tinery wholly of raw sugar of the growth and
production of a foreign country, imported,
and on which the duties have been paid, as in
said entry stated, to the best of my knowl-
edge and belief.
Sworn to, before me this dayof - 1877
-, Notary Public. -, Proprietor.
The exporters oath is longer, but to
the same effect, especially with regard
to that clause, "wholly manufactured
of raw sugar imported;'' and if the
sugar should he adulterated, it would
be perjury to subscribe to the oath.
The exporter might do so unknowingly,
but it is hardly to be expected that the
refiner could do so. 1t is currently as
serted that some process is being used
to shorten the time for the refining of
sugars, and for this purpose deleteri-
Gus substances are employed, while, for
the purpose of cheapening'' sugars,
the less expensive article of glucose has
been mixed with the pure sugar, and
sold as such. These facts have rem
dered the practice of refining sugars by
the old plan, which takes longer time
and is therefore more costly, although
far more advantageous to the consumer,
so Improbable that many of the old re-
fineries have gone out of business,
while others are preparing so to do,
rather than engage in work which re-
quires the artificial processes, and
which they consider not only fraudu-
lent, but very little short of murderOus.
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