The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-14
CONDUCTED BIZ S. II. STA oKHOUsE
AduIteration of Food and Drink.

We hardly know what we eat and
drink nowadays, and the adultera-
ton of both food and drink is practiced
to a greater extent than we have any
idea. If men could see the analysis OF
the different WHISTLES and wines which
are drunk, and go under the name of
the pure stuff, they would almost
vomt to look at it instead OF drink it.
extensive wine dealer died recent
ly, and his apparatus for manufacture
ing all kinds of wines was accidentally
found in one of his rooms. His wines
were so adrOitly colored and so nicely
favored, that only the most expert
wine bibber could detect anything
wrong about them. 1t cost him about
fifteen cents per bottle to manufacture
his finest wines, which were sold at
the most eXhorbitant prices. He even
had machine for giving the bottle
an old moss covered appearance, to
make his customers believe that his
wine had been mellOWing and growing
in age underneath dark and cool eel
lars.
The New York Temperance Advo-
cate some time since published PAM
phlet which contained some important
disclosures as to the adulteration and
manufacture of all kinds of spirituous
liquors. To show what is practiced,
we copy the following extract. This
circular contains 81 recipes for making
all kinds of spirituOus liquors from
corn. A bushel of corn will make
three gallons of whisky, and when
filtered through charcoal, is called pet
rfied spirits. By adding strychnine
to the malt, bushel will make five
gallons; then stir in another poison,
deadly night shades, and adding
water, you will have eight gallons of
equal Intoxicating power. This, at
two dollars per gallon is fifteen dollars
per bushel for corn, and will do for
common TO ks to drink. But for the
finer brands of WHISTLES and wines
they have 81 flavoring extracts, seven
colorings, six choice essential oils and
3S drugs, by which, corn whisky can
be manufactured into French Brandy
Holland Gin, Bourbon, Port, Cham
paign, Claret, which nothing can de-
tect but the closest chemical analysis,
and sells readily for SIS per gallon,
making 500 for Il bushel of corn.
DR.. Cox, who was formerly State
chemist for the State Of Ohio, says
that after 600 inspections 80 per cent.
were of that class. To test it, Gin
cinnati merchant ordered two of the
best hogsheads of brandy for medical
purposes. DR.. Cox immersed steel
blade into a glass of it, and in fifteen
minutes the brandy turned to the color
of ink, and the steel to a copper color.
1t was further analysed in the pres
ence of court and jury, and found to
contain sulphuric acid, nitric acid,
prussic acid, guano, pepper, fusil OF,
and was pronounced worthless.
We only produce this, to show to
what extent this adulteratiOn of some
things is carried:
A Chicago chemist makes the following
statement: Il have examined fourteen
brands of sugar bought,as understand, in
this city: Some graduated, some white,
some coorrd, some coarse and some fine.
tested them thoroughly for all impurities.
In twelve Of the samples | found tin in the
form of chloride, an active poison. | have
examined several syrups made essentially
and entirely of glucose, and found in them
chloride, of tin. calcium, iron and magnGSla
and in quantities which made them very
poisonous . Il # / have teSted,t to some
extent, the cheap tin ware sold in our mar
ket> and have no hesitation in saying that
there is great danger in using fruits, vege-
tables, meats or fish put up in cans of any
kind. They are liable to contain lead and
tin, both active pOisons. have found in |
many baking powders alum insted of cream
Of taltcr, thing dangerous and injurious /
in all cases. | should say that | have come
to expect authorizations, and to fear danger
Gus adulteration. in almost every article of
the grocery kind"
Still another Chicago chemist says: Enor- |
nous amounts of meats of diseased animals /
ire sold in Chicago. | have been informed .
If several cases Of poisoning in this city |
rom the use of canned meats. | do not .
iare to Use the Syrlps commonly sold in
,Ur markets, and Use but little sugar. as
believe them nearly all adulterated. In .
egard to glucose, am informed and be-
leVe that scven-cighths of all the sugar
old in Chicago is made of, or aduIterated
With glucose
Despite these dreadful revelations,
he people will drink and eat, and
eem to live and thrive as well as they
id when they made all their peach
randy at home, and eat nothing
ut what was manufactured under
heir surveillance.
There is another consOlatory fact,
hat all these authorizations mentioned
ave been perpetrated north of Mason
nd DiXon's line; but this dc,:'t exon
'ate us. Unfortunately, we have no
tate chemist to find out what we do
1t and drink. If we did, it might
lly disturb the minds Of the people
ithout accomplishing any real good.
nd as the poet sang long time ago
"If ignorance is bliss,
II is folly to be wise"