Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-01-09

mate and bl-cnrl mate OF potash ana
chromate of lead, a list formidable and
dangerous enough to excite the atten-
ton Of the most easy gong consumer.
But il is our good fortune to allay rath-
er than to excite fears, and we hasten
To say that after examining twenty-five
samples, embracing almost as many
different grades and kinds, We have
found but little ground for serious APP
prehenSlon. In no case was there any
considerable amount Of adulteration
found. \ few foreign leaves We're no
ticed in one or two cases, but no other
bulk-inereasing adulterant was found
Many ct the samples, however, were
found TO be artiticially colored, and
some OF them were highly charged with
coloring material. This was detected
in the sediment which was examined
under the microscope, ard its nature
determined 10y chemical tests. The
principal colorlng Ingredient detected
was PrusSian blue, which was found in
samples Of all grades Of Green Or Japan
teas, although very sparingly present IN
most samples OF Japan teas. The high
est grades of Hyson and Gunnowder
teas contained apparently the greatest
amount of coloring material, although
a sample which was sold under the
name of Japan dust, exceeded all
others in foreign matter and fur
nished thick blush precipitate
which consisted largely Of Prussian
blue. Beside this adulterant, granules
Of Il substance which was considered
logwood were presen. i'll several sam
piles, and yellow waxy particles resent
bling turnerc powder.
The effect of the presence OF
these coloring agents upon the
heathfulness of the beverage is
perhaps, ar undecided question. DR..
Hassall includes RUSSIAN blue in the list
of article. that should be prohibited rs
injurious to health; while DIR. Sharples,
Of Boston, simply classes It with fraud
ulent authorizations. 1t is not consider
ed poisonous 10y high medical authori-
ties. Its presence may be almost en-
tirely avoided by the use of black and
the uncolored Japan teas.
SUGAR.
This is one of the most widely sus-
pected articles in the whole range OF
food products. Whenever the subject Of
adulteration claims individual or public
attention, the saccharine product is al
most instinctively singled out rs the I'M
fortunate burden bearer of the frauds
and iniquities of the whole class of
greedy, reckless food producers and
dealers. The antiquated practice Of
sanding sugar has given to us u type
phrase for roguery i'll business, and the
shadow cf this obsolete evil seems to
rest upon the article and its manipulate
Ors.
The introduction Of other substances
into sugar, for the purpose of adultera-
ton, may safely be set down as thing of
the past, and the widespread prejudice
which still exists is not grounded upon
the condition of the article that now
finds its way into the market. The evil
dence which we have gathered upon
this point, III the limited number of OBJ
servations which we have been able to
make, simply confirms the testimony
Of Prof. Chandler, Of New York, and
Dir. Hassall, of London, each of whom
has examined hundreds of samples of
sugar without detecting any noticeable
amount of foreign material.
People may, therefore, use any grade
of sugar which is commonly found in
our market, without being apprenensive
lest they be consuming acari, fungus
spherules, starch, wood fibre, gum, mar
bic dust, chalk whiting, sand, bone dust,
salt, or any other substance found in
the long and appalling lists which have
been mentioned by observers IN the
past. But if the article of commerce is
at present unadulterated with any of
these substances, it does not follow that
ii is in all cases perfectly pure. Under
the general term sugar Is included n
long list of articles which have similar
composition and properties, but which
vary greatly in saccharne effects. The
common variety, or cane sugar, Is best
adapted for culinary purposes. on ac-
count of its great sweetening power, and
easy soulbility. Grape sugar, on the
other hand, has only two-fiftns of the
sweetening effect Of the former variety,
and dissolves slowly in water. Uncrys-
tallizabe sugar, another allied COM
pound, is also less valuable than cane
sugar. The presence of either of these
varieties il cane sugar may be regard
ed as adulteration.
The percentage OF pure cane sugar in
each Of the samples examined by US
was determined either by chemical
tests or by means of the polariscope.
Under these tests all Of the white sugars
were found to be entirely pure, a slight
ly yellow sort gave 9Sl per cent. cane
sugar. Other browner grades gave from
% to % per cent. Of cane sugar.
Samples Of different grades Of brown
sugar, tested with the polariscope, gave
per centages Of "a, SG, 81, 50 and 7Sper
cent. Of cane sugar.
Another interesting fact was noticed
in connection with the observations
with the polariscope, namely: the rela.
two values of different sorts Of so.called
pure sugars; samples Of common white
sugar, of cut loaf and of pulyerized sug-
ar, gave identical results when tested
with polarized light, while a very dry
white sugar showing very large perfect
crystals, gave "a degrees greater 20
/ larization than any other samples, indi.