, 1880-04-26
The Assassin in Our Homes.

Now that congressional committee
has taken mott o of. and reported and
investigated upon the adulterat1on of
food, it is to be hoped that the subject
will be discussed and probed until re-
lief is found. Physicians are constantly
puzzled by the appearance OF new all
ments, or old diseases with strange
symptoms and in new forms, which do
not Weld to the usual treatment. There
is good reason to apprehend that food
adulteration is one of the great causes
of these new and aggravated forms of
ailment. For instance, coffee, which is
SO universally used as a beverage, what
of its purity? Six packages of coffee
in the berry were bought in Baltimore
and submitted to the chersist of the
agricultural bureau. In each package
the berries artifcially colored outnum-
bered those which had not been col
ored. and in some cases the spurious
were to the genuine as two to one. The
coiored berries had been passed through
two cylinders, and in this way coated
with a compound of chrome, the basis
of which is lead and bone-black By
this process each berry was given pol
ished surface snd greenish hue.
When the colOring matter was burned
and analyzed the residue contained
chromate Of lead, phosphate of calci-
um, and insoluble sulphate of barium.
The committee says that the coloring
cylinders are openly erected and used
in the mills. The coloring is put on
to improve the appearance OF the ber-
ries and increase their market value.
H,re we have lead which is deally
poison in sufficient doses, and slow but
sure poison N minute doses, made an
ingredient of one or more meals every
day in the year. Tea affords no sub
stitute, for it, too, is adulterated.
Samples of what was called good gun
powder tea in the Washington market
were analy zed, and under the micro
scope this tea seemed to be one-half
Prussian blue. In one hundred parts
only trace of tea was found. There
was only enough tea dust to give tea
odor to the compound. Reference is
also made to glucose syrup and oles-
margarine, the committee quoting Geo.
L. AngelPs statement in regard to the
latter, that moro than ninety million
pounds were made in this country in
1878, and that he has discovered in
specimens of its fungi, living organ
isms, and eggs resembling those of the
tape-worm. Mr.. Angel Is also quoted
as saying that western chemist found
chloride of tin, poison, in twelve out
of fourteen samples OF sugar and syr-
ups, and that a western sugar dealer
testified that ninety-nine out of one
hundred barrels of sugar recently sold
in Chicago, were adulterated. Very
little pure cane syrup or molasses IS to
be found in the market. The corn
syrup tkat has superseded it would be
harmless if made properly, but it is to
be feared that the chemicals used in it
are not handled with sufficient care.
Corn syrup evidently contains acid.
1t must and will pass into the list of
articles which prudent housekeepers
will reject unless there is a reform in
method of manufacture. The factories
that build up reputation for pure
article will conquer the market. Until
then the public must be its own Judge
and rely upon such simple tests as it is
possible for each purchaser to make
for himself in determining the purity
of product. But unless something is
done to prevent this wholesale adulter-
alton of our food and beverages, the
only safe course will be to abandon al
together the use of tea, coffee, syrups
and other articles which offer the
greatest temptation to cheaper the pro-
ductive cost by adulteration. Home
made sorghum syrup and sugar, honey,
maple syrup and sugar will find home
demand equal to the supply unless
manufacturers and dealers offer better
protection for the public in the goods
now SO abominably adulterated and
poisoneo o.-HaUkeye.