Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-23
WHAT.PE0PLE EAT,

The ancient provcrb concerning the aver
age amount of dirt consumed per capita
which limits il TO the comparatively triiiing
quantity of one peck, will have TO be en-
larged, in this era of adultcration. A peck
might have done well enough in the primi-
tive times when the proverb obtained cur
rency, when pork and beans ana QUEER
moulh-iilling and not particularly elaborate
vionds were the staples of food, and before
olcomargariue and glucose had been invent
ell but at present the provcrblal peck ought
to be discarded, for there is every indication
that few of lis get through life without CON
sumug about couple of bushels
of dirt, whether in its primitive
form or in various DISCUSSES. Dirt,
they say, Is healthy, and we are pointed
in proof to the numbcrless urchins who all
Summer long live in and upon it, and thrive
upon the regimen; but however that may
be, we can justly object to its being surrep-
titiously inserted in our systems under the
disguise of sugar and candy and 50 on. 1t
is not the kind of an angel that we like to
entertain unawarcs.
As to the amount of dirt we unsuspicous-
ly consume every day, new revelations are
constantly being made. Thus the editor OF
the Milwaukee christian Statesman says lie
was lately Informed by II railroad official
that he transported over his road at one time
four tons Of cookie seed, to be ground up
aud mixed with black pepper coniec-
toner of that city recently received letter
with handsomely Autographed head, from
a New York firm Of importers, manuiac-
turcrs aud exporters" whose business was
Established in 1890" The letter says
Enclosed please find sample of refined
French terra alba which we offer at seven
eighhs cents per pound. Barrels included.
Packed in handsome new barrels all brand
ed California Beet Sugar. Freight to Chi
cage $50 per 100 pounds. Shipped us
sugar" Terra alba-which is merely n
finely pow dered white earth - is largely
mixed with the cheap candies. Some of the
baking powders are made of this cath and
ammonia. There arc mills in which moth
ing is ground but terra alba Gypsum is
also largely used Shploads of this article
are sent TO China to he used in making
green tea. Another letter. also from
an cnteipiising New York firm says: IF
you Use terra alba, I'VE can sell you goods
like the ipclosed sample al one and
half cents per pound 1t is put up in sugar
barrels, and each barrel is stenciled Import
cd Potato Starch, and shippedas SUCH" a
firm of Philadelphia druggists show quite
equal enterprise, They offer through their
agent 100 pounds Of an article they call
"California Powdered Sugar" for 80 cents,
for which they have n large trade among con-
fectiOners In Canada, a recent report on
tie aduttration of food shows that of fifty
three samples OF cocoa anHlyzed, 10 samples
were adulterated, and of these six were found
to be chocolate, rather than cocoa. Sixty
nine samples of coffee were analysed, of
which A. were adultorlted. OF Is samples
analysed in Montreal none were found to be
pure while DIR. Ellis Of Toronto reports but
three pure out of IS analysed. Ont of aO2
ed, and IS reported IS doubtful Twenty
three samples of potted meats were Analysed
three were found to contain traces of tin and
lead. Sugars were reported as pure, al
though traces of glucose were present in some
samples. Sixty-siX samples of sweets were
analyzeI and only five were found 10 be adul-
terated, the authorizations being plaster OF
Paris and cooring matter. Of IS samples OF
tea 90 are returned as adultcrated, the prin-
clpal adul,eraion being foreign leaves and
heavy iacings.
The state of things in this country is I'M
doubtedy worse than IN Canada, for ii has
come to pass that almost everything is adul-
tcrated here by Inscriptions manufacturers
and dealers Dyspepsia is our National dis
ease, and no wonder; and until laws against
adulteratioa Of food are enacted and cnergct-
ically enforced, we shall have to cat not only
dirt but poisOns,