The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-02-13

Vbe Tarnt.
Worse Than That Peck of
Dirt"

believe, that "'every one must
eat a peck of dirt" before he dies
but it is not so clear that hui
manity is under any obligation
to consume about everything
else tat can be worked over in
to a counterfeit offood and drink
1t is a fact, nevertheless, that
the art of adulterating articles
for the table has been carried to
a startling limit. In a recent
address in Boston upon "Public
Health Associations" a Mr.. An
CELL said
The most dangerous poisons
can be bought at hundreds of
places in our cities without re-
striction. Cayenne pepper is
adulterated with white lead /;
vinegar with sulphuric acid, ar
senic and corrosive sublimate.
Half the viegar sold is said to be
rank poison. Of II packages of
pickles analysed, copper was
found in 10. Of another lot of
Is packages, copper was found
in every one, though no two
were put up by the same whole
sale house. Syrups, favoring
oils, jellies and preserved f uits
contain poisons. Tea and coffee
are largely adulterated cocoa
and chocolate with minerals.
White stone is ground up for
adulterating soda, sugar and
flour. A Boston chemist found
rs per centum of terra alba in
one sample of cooking cream Of
tartar. Thousands Of gallons of
compounds are sold as milk that
do not contain one drop of the
genuine article. Diseased meats
eggs, poultry and fish Ire sold
in the markets. Butter is man.
ufactured in enormous quantities
from animal fats, often obtained
from diseased animals, and even
this is adulterated. In San
Francisco tea is made of exhaust
ed tea leaves colored with Prus-
sian blue ; coffee Of burnt flour
favored with essence of coffee
bread Of potatoes and alum.
Whiskey contains ~creosote, salts,
of copper, alum etc. In a cask
of 'pure" sherry wine, purchased
of a Boston firm for sick patients
not a drop of the juice of the
grape was found upon analysis.
Wines and liquors are manufac-
tured here, shipped to Europe
and then imported" into this
country. California wines are
made IN Boston cellars. Forty
gallons of compound is changed
Tito brandy, whisky and other
liquors, at a cost of ten cents a
gallon. Tinwase contains lead
IN soluble form. In fabrics for
clothing arsenic, corrosive sub
Innate and other deadly poisons
enter-in ladies' dresses in silks, |
wells, threads, artificial flowers,
fentlemen's underclothing, socks
gloves, hat Innings. boot and shoe
Innings, paper collars and other
articles. In a green dress eight
grains of arsenic were found in
each square foot. Wall papers,
tickets, lamp shades, cards, ETC.,
contain large quantities of ar
senic. A retired sugar dealer
says that sugar, molasses and
honey are SO largely adulterated
that he dares not use them ex-
cept in small quantities. kero-
sene oil is so adulterated that out
of 20 samples tested by a Boston
chemist Is were dangerous.
ga contemporary claims, and
it may be truly, that these state
are somewhat exaggerated
but Still we fear there is too
much truth in what Angel says
after all. There are few articles
OF sale and purchase which some
,,oundrel has not found a way
Of adulterating, to the bene-
it of his pocket and the
letriment Of public health. The
New York Euening Post, having
Investigated this matter a little,
some facts Of peculiar
,+oroo+ Tbov certainlv do not