The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-19

In regard TO muk, IL was esumateu Tow
years since by a Boston sanitary commits
sion that In single year was paid in that city
nearly $500, 900 for water mixed with milk, ana
that this water was probably taken In many IN
stances from dangerous sources, and was ilaDie
to contain and carry germs or disease. IL APP
pears from this years report OF the Boston
Milk Inspector, and Prof. Avery, who is en-
ployed to analyze milk seized by the Inspector,
that probably the city OF Boston paid during
last year more than $6S00OO for water mixed
with milk. How much of that water contained
lead poison or was taken from wells which re-
ceive the drainage of cesspools II Is OF course
impossible to determine. have evidence that
in ut least two OF our large cities from w to 10
per cent of all milk sold is adnlterated pefore
IL reaches the consumer, and that the death-
rate of infants in my own city has been Iouna
to be in a given time more than four times
what 1t was in given popuiauon OUTSIDE .no
city. have evidence that both the lactometer
and creamoter are entirely unreliable 10 detect
adulteratiols; that cream is made from wnlte
glue, and that various articles are added 10
milk to conceal the addition of water
Now let us take up oleomargarine Dutter anu
cheese More than 30 DOC, 900 pounds OF these
articles were manufactured in the United States
in 1878, much and probably most OF II 30 care
fully disguised that it is sold in the markets
without detection. Mr.. John Michels, an EN-
inent microscopic Of New York city, says that
in the process of manufacturing the oleomar-
garine butter and cheese the fat used is never
subjected to higher temperature than l2O de-
grees Fahrenheit; that such butter may be still
considered to be in raw state; that any germs
of disease, morbid secretions, or embryos OF
parasites in the animals from which the oil
was obtained are liable to be transferred in
living condition into the systems of those who
use this butter; that animals used for food are
subject to the attacks of internal parasites
that lodge i'm countless multitudes in all parts
of their bodies; that some OF the most danger
GUS forms will also live and thrive in man; that
the trichine which enter the body at once
breed by the million, and invade the whole sys-
tenn from head to foot that 1t is well known
that living organisms have withstood temper
allure much higher than that which caul fat is
subjected TO in the preparation OF oleomarga-
rine, and that even 100 degrees have been re-
sisted by these germs: that 1t would not be
strange If the caul fat from diseased animals,
whose meat is not used for food, should often
be sold fer this purpose; that he has found In
oleomargarine animal tissues, with fragments
and cells OF suspicious nature that he has rea-
Son to believe thai refuse faf OF at least one
pork-packing establishment is used in its man
ufacture, and that he views with anxiety its in
PRODUCTION as an article of food.
Prof Church states that he has found in
oleomargarine, by analysis, horse fat, fat from
bones, and waste fat, such as is used for max
ing candles.
In regard to drugs an eminent medical gen.
tleman Of Boston said to me some time since:
"The authorizations of drugs in this country
are perfectly abominable."
In regard to our meats l have the most over
whelming evidence that thousands of tons of
the meats of diseased animals are annually sold
in our markets, and that the detection of these
meats, after they have been dressed, and put
into the stalls, is in most cases impossible.
Now let us consider the subject of poisoning
by arsenic. The amount of arsenic imported
into this country during the year ending June
,,,iIl thraa h1tn1 aud
twenty-seven thousand, seven hundred and
forty-two pounds e, 1921, 742). Each pound con-
tanned fatal dose for about =, 500 adult human
beings. 1t is sold in our markets almost as
freely as wood and coal, at a wholesale price Of
from a cent and half to two cents pound.
What becomes of it!
answer 1T is used in wall papers, paper cur
tains, lamp-shades, boxes, wrapping papers for
confectionery, tickets cards, childrens kinder
garten papers, artificial flowers, dried grasses,
eye-shades and numerous other articles.
Among the articles frequently made dangerous
by this or other poiscns may be named also
ladies' dress goods, wells, sewing silks, threads,
stockings, gentlemens underclothing, socks,
gloves, hat-llnings, Innings of boots and shoes,
paper collars, babies carriages, colored enam-
eled cloths, children's toys, various fabrics Of
Wool silk, cotton, and leather in various colors.
Arsenic has been found also in toilet powders
and candles. Prof. Nichols, of our Massachu-
sets Institute of Technology, found eight
grains Of arsenic in each square foot of dress.
Another chemist found ten grains of arsenic in
single artificial flower A child in Troy, N.
Y, some time since died in commissions by
taking the arsenic from veil thrown over its
crib 10 keep off the flies.
case has been recently brought to my
knowledge of Boston gentleman 80 severely.
poisoned by wearing poisonous underclothing
that for several days he could hardly see. Pos
sibly the largest use of arsenic is in the prep
aratiOn of orr wall -papars The Massach1l-
sets State Board of HEALTH in their report for
1877, gave twenty-five pages to this subject.
These poisonous papers are of great variety
of colors-green, blue, red, yellow, pearl, and
other colo1s Some are cheap, some costly,
some figured, some plain, some glazed, some
unglazed. There is but one way of surely de-
tecting them, and that is by chemical analysis
It has been estimated that fully three quarters
OF all our wallpapers now manufactured con-
tain arsenic. The Michigan State Board of
Health has recently published book contain
ing seventy specmensof these papers, and,
by order of that board, it has been put into ev-
cry important public library OF Michigan, as a
warning to the people Of that State. II bears
the very appropriate title of shadows from
the Walls of Death" This book states that
these papers are sold in every city and import
ant village of that State, and their use is in
creasing. IL advises Q) the use of no wall-pa-
per ut all; (2) never to use wallpaper without
first having it tested for arsenic; and (3) if
arsenlcal paper Is already on the walls, and can
not well be- removed, then las some protection,
to cover 1t with q coat of varnish.
There can be no doubt that thousands Of
people in this country are now suffering, and
many have died, from the effects of arsenical
Wallpapers. Yet their manufacture and sale
are permitted to 90 on withort restriction.
when | was in Germany" said an eminent
Boston chemist to me- IL discovered arsenic
in two specimens of wall paper, and the manu-
facturer was in jail before night. Here have
analysed hundreds of specimens in q single
year and found arsenic in large proportion of
them, but nobody was prosecuted"
AS remedy for this Wholesale pois-
oning, Mr.. Angel recommends the or
ganization in every city and village of
protective health association, whose
duty it shall be to test and analyze all
articles of diet offered for sale, publicly
commencing the good and condemning
the bad. He thinks that
Whenever such an association gets fairly at
work in any city or town, it will become almost
impossible to sell adulterated and poisonous
articles without detection. SO far as that city
or town is concerned the demand will cease,
and dealers will require Of those from whom
they buy guarantees that goods are pure and
harmless.
The purchaser who finds he has a poisonous
adulterated article will return it to the retail
dealer the retail dealer will send ii back to the