New-York tribune., 1878-11-20
THE SUGAR CONTROFERSP.
VIEWS OF PROFESSOR MORTON.


SAYS MURIA1lC ACID AND CHLORIDE OF lin
ARE NOT INJURIOUS II PROPERLY USED.
Professor Morton, of the Stevens Institute
of Technology HObOken N. j., commented yes
terday. in conversation with reporter, on
tho discussion Of the alleged adulteraoons III
sug,rs at the New-YOrk Academy Of Sciences on
Monday evening last. He said:
"Glucose occurs in the sugar-cane. and use
the word glucose In the general popular senSe'
in which it would include fruit-sngar. inVefteu-
sugar and starch sugar. When l speak OF eiu-
cosc. | mean glucose proper, that is not some
miyture OF something else sold under that name. Glu
cose is a constituent OF the cane product
change occurs in cane sugar spontaneously IN tne
presence Of such vegetable acids ana other organic
matters as are found cane juice THIS change likewise
bappens TO greater or less degree in the
process of manufacturing sugars. The ouJec'
of boiling. In vacuum pans and OF defecation
IA 10 avoid this as far as possible No matter what care
is taken, portion will always be founu
which will increase In the successive boillngs'
so that each one Will contain more
glucose than the previous one aud the final moassc or
syrup Will contain the most OF all Glucose ltseH,
as may be readily imagined from the fact that
II is the sugar Of fruits, could hot
nationally DO regarded as a poisonous or unwholesome
substance; and as We know, moreover, that
in every process that we can watch. the chnc
sugar passes into glucose before 1t suffers any
further change there is every reason to believe That
cane sugar in the human system Is converted Into
glucose as n first step the process Of digestion.
"As TO whether glucose has been used as an adulter
ant can only say that 1t is highly probable, and
1 have DO reason doubt that 1t has been
so used i'll the manufacture OF refined
sugars as cheaper substitute for sugar
But tuat II therefore follows that 1t Is Injurious 10 health
or fraud the ofcausinG injury to the purchaser
ia a question that Is not thereby decided, since
that involves the question whether glucose Is or Is not
equally valuable in the uses 10 which sugar IL ap-
piled This question do not pretend 70 decide. but
simply maintain that 10 has not been decided
thus far do not believe that the so
called adulteratiOns Of sugars with glucose
have been carried ON by the larger reneres but sup
pose that some people OF little reputation may have en-
gagged In such business
"Muratic scd has also been referred 90 one Of the
poisonous aduteratons Those who have 80 spoken OF
H. presume have beeu that 1t Is essential
ingredient Of the gastric juice aud Is believed
10 be requisite digestion Thus for example com
mon experiment IN works physology u as follows:
Take three test tubes. and In each place
sman portion OF meat. To one add solu-
ton OF pure pepsln; to another diluted hydro
chiOric acid; 10 third a mixture OF both. Place
al .hree III bath heated to about 4O ceutigradce
The meat IN the pCpsn will remain unchanged, that In
the hyrochlOr1c acid will slightly swell up, while that IN
the mixture will rapidly dissolve HydrochOlorc
acid. OF course. diluted with woter IS on"
Of the commonest remedies for imperfect di-
gestion or dyspepsia. The statement That muriauc
acid will eat into copper vessel, and therefore
must iniure the aiOmsch may be appreciated II we re-
member that acetc acid vinegar Will equally attack
copper boiler, and on thai ground would be equally ln-
iuriuus 10 the stomach
Chloride Of TN another Of the ingredients charged
being used In the manufacture OF sugar Is undoupt
edly POISONOUS substance II taken In sufficient
quantities IL IL an ifflthh polsoo' put unl'Ha
taken large quantities there is no reason 10 suppose
tnat would produce any i'll eisGl lts esi purIo.r
is to bleach sugars. While thetcloir, any
into an article OF food snould certainly be
Sgond bc folly 20 assert that should be considered
cr mina unwarranuole to use process IN refining
.ugnrg I'm which this substance was employed simply he
cI,ise Il /. poisonous material. Thus copper Is more
poisonous than tin, and whor-yer copper vessels are
used there some chance thi "A salt OF COP
such vessels vet one would think for
moment tuH for , all copper vessels shoudbc
excluded from every Kitchen and from every manufhc-
tory Of articles Of food.
"a. 10 the moral aspect Of the which has been
rrrd O only That II l. wide ana would De III
theme for tarologaus To discuss Grant for the sakr
and other cailseo tue profits on sugar manufacture
nave been reduced that either the price
aduplr II this change diG not render the product
less efficient for its PURPOSES to the consumer or
in any way Injurious or hurtfnl to him, II
does not appear TO me That any wrong
IL done by the adoption OF tuch a modification.
The moral question then comes 10 rest upon that OF
sricnunc fact. whether harmful or inefficient
materials have been introduced TO any extent III the
nning Of sugars do not understand the question
TO be whether persons here or there have pre-
parcd and sold aduerated sugars. bur whether the
trr business has been tainted With such dishonesty"
The name Of Charles II. Moer secretary of the
North River Sugar Refining Company signed To the
remembrance publ shed yesterday IRON that company
The name 0i Mr.. Mollrr, the secretary, !. George H.
instead OF Charles. The error was typographical.
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