The daily gazette., 1881-02-17
w ashinR.ton.
STARTLING STATEMENTS REGARDING
THE ADULTERATIoN OF FOOD.

THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD,
The Committee on Dpidemie Di-
seases IN the House will report favor
ably the bill authorizing commission
OF three experts to inquire into the
adulteration of food in the United
States. Some of the reports of chem
It's which accompany the report of the
committee present fearful state of
things and are calculated to prevent
careful people from eating anything
except corn bread and eggs. A Chlca.
go chemist writes
AT the request of highly respecta-
BILE citizen of Chicago have examin-
ed fourteen brands OF sugar bought,
understood, in this city, some eTanu.
lated, some white, some colored, some
coarse and some fine. | tested them
thoroughly for impurities. In twelve
OF the samples found tin in the form
OF chloride, an active poison. The
other consti uents | can furnish if Won
desire. have examined several sir
ups, made essentially and entirely of
glucose, and found in them chlorides
OF tin, calcium. iron and magnesia, and
III quantities which made them yery
poisonous. In one case a whole neigh
oorhood was poisoned and l was told
of one death. have in several cases
found sugar OF lead IN vinegar. / use
no vinegar myself. look with sus-
plcion upon our vinegar. / use fruit
acid in place of it, lemon juice anoc.
never eat pickles. / have found in
various cases they were poisoned with
lead and copper. l have tested to
some exteut the cheap tinware sold in
our markets, and have no hesitation in
saying that there is great danger in
using fruits, vegetables, meat or fish
put up in Tin cans of any kind. They
are liable to contain lead and tin, both
active poisons.
Another Chicago chemist writes:-
First-I have entirely abandoned the |
use of vinegar sold in our markets, be- |
ieving it to be unfit for use and danger
'us. know that sulphuric acid is
argely used IN its manufacture.
Second-l never use the pickles gen
rally sold in our markets. think the |
elbow pickles are quite as dangerous as
be green. know that lead is largely
Ised in their manufacture. Verdieris
used in making the green.
Ihlrd--I have examined large num-
er OF specimens of oleomargarine and
ave found in them organic substances
the form OF muscular and connective
ssues, various fungi aud living organ
'ms which have resisted the action of
olling acetic acid; also eggs resembling
1ose of the tapeworm. have them
reserved to be shown 10 any one who
esires TO see them. The French patent
nder Whieh oleomargarine is made re-
uires the use of the stomachs of pigs or
leep. This is probable the way the
sgs get in. have specimens of lean
leat taken from oleomargarine. There
IN De no question that immense
mounts of oleomargarine are sold and
sed as pure butter. regard 1t as
angerous article, and would on no ac-
'uht permit its use in my family.
Fourlh-Enormous amounts of the
eats of diseased animals are sold in |
hicago. l have made large number
examinations. 1
Fifth have been informed of 1
veral cases poisoning in this city from
e use OF canned meats. | do not dare
use the syrups commonly sold in our
arkets, and | use bus little sugar, as
lieve them nearly all adulterated.
Another eminent chemist reports adul- !
ratlons as follows: X
Bread, with alum and sulphate OF !.
pper; yeast with alum; baking powder II
tn alum, terra alba, plaster of paris, .
hitting, aud kaoiin; milk with a variety v
articles; cheese, with potatoes, beans,
vermillion, red chalk, u
pha.e of copper, arsenic and corro y
g sublimate; lard with boiled starch u
Inn aud quickline; confectionery with p
romate of lead, red lead, vermillIon. :.
lsslan blue, copper and arsenic; pickles u
th sulphuric acid aud yirdigrIs; mus. II
q with yellow oehre ana chromate of pl
d; vinegar with salphnrio acid, arsenic =. =.
| corrosive sublimate; ceffee with hs
sted acorns, spent tan bark, Iogwood, OF
hogany, sawdust and burned liver oe
horses; tea with great variety of 80 10
cles. ri
he State Legislatures could, If all
! be True, do useful work by adopt n
more stringent laws to expose and
fish the poisonous adulteration of