The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-06-25

THE ETHICS or ADU u terra TON.
In the comment on an analysis of some
dairy " milk " last week, which was sup
posed to contain sleeps brains as an adul-
teration, it was coolly remarked, in conclu-
sion, that " Sleeps brains are not deleteri-
" ous," as If that settled the whole question.
This is dangerous and most palpable fall
lacy indulged in by many who are tempted
TO adulterate what they sell, and tolerated
too far, it is to be feared, 10y those whose
duty it is to protect the public. 1t is not
necessary that adulteration should consist
ofsome noxious and fatal poison in order to
he an oTense against both the moral law and
the positive law of the land, rs we derive it
from the mother country. Leaving out of
the question whether it can he decided posi-
lively that gross and crude substances, like
glucose, Sleeps brains, beef fat, and all that
class of modern adulterations, are really in
nocuous when eaten freely Ivy mistake for
something else, 1t is plain that there Is an
outrageous fraud practiced on both
the purchaser and consumer when
these are palmed of under the name and
counterfeted appearance of quite another
natural substance. Why does the tricky
vender take such pains to disguise these as
other than what they are ? Plainly because
Ivy so doing he not only secures a higher
price than what they are worth, but even
secures their consumption in quite differ
ent way. Who would sit down at break.
fast table where he was explicitly told that
lie must flavor chicory coffee with sleeps
brains and glucose, spread his alum bread
with mass of doctored suet and tallow
and find his custard colored aud made del
icate with products of coal tar The in
stincts of civilized man have set these things
down as nasty and abhorrent, which is ma
ture's own testimony against them, stronger
than that of all the physicians. II the adul
terators think otherwise let them bring on
| their wares like other honest tradesmen, foi
Just what they are, and push them on theii
| merits. No man selling pure cane sugar q
there be any such lefD finds it advisable [,
pretend that it is glucose Mr.. Ward neve
advertises "genuine oleomargarine for hi
| prints any more than Mumm Il Co. al
vertise a champagne that "cannot be dis
" "tinguished from gooseberry juice" In fac
the sole remedy which the French Govern
ment has found effcacious against the skill
ful makers of false jewelry, ETC., in Paris, /
TO compel them, under heavy penalties, t.
mark distinctly on their beautiful ware
that they are limitations, not genuine. Thi
same remedy was attempted to be applie
here to those nasty messes counterieitin
butter, but by some defect in the law it
\ execution seems to have fallen through, an
we can never be sure that we may not h
eating products more fit for the soap-kettl
than for human stomachs.
Let it be said once for all, then, that foo
adulteraton is a misdemeanor whenever a
inferior, dubious, disguised substance
palmed off for that which the taste of til
community demands. When the disguise
substance is baneful, it is no longer mel
adulteration, but poisoning. And the laxity
the modern understanding of the law an
its execution is enough to make one bitterl
bakers, vintners, maltsters, and victualleI
generally were nailed by the ear to Il
pillory to receive the testimonials of Il
public on their conduct