Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-03
Miscellaneous.
Canned Goods.

1ne pEdclicc VI uciuS lIullS anu 'oSceo
bles that have been put up in hermeti-
cally sealed cans is not unattended with
dan ger. The business OF putting up goods
in this form and the amount sold, has be-
come so extensive as to necessitate great
care in the selection of brands. So many
cases of sickness have been traced to this
cause, that it is of great moment that the
best articles only should be used.
A physician lately published paper in
the Sanitarian, in which he SAYS that in
mis- practice he has had six cases of corro-
sive poisoning from canned tomatoes. In
one of the cases to which the physician
alludes, whole family were poisoned
from eating canned tomatoes which were
not spoiled. or taken from what is techni-
cally known to the trade as a ''swell."
that is, in hich decomposition of the con-
tents form gas which causes the top to
bulge out. These ''swells" are bought
up BY INSCRIPTIONS dealers and ''repro-
cessed," that is, hole is punched in the
can to let the gas escape. and the top to
assume its conceived form again. But the
cans thus treated betray themselves by
showing two solder holes instead of one.
The tomatoes used by this family were not
taken from such can, tor If they had
been fermented, cooking would have rem
dered them harmless. The doctor found
that the tomatoes had not stood in the ves-
sci used, and that they were cooked in a
stone crock, and new triple-plated spoon
had been used. The symptoms of the
patients resembled those of verdigris
poisoning, and as canning factories are
known to use copper kettles, it seems prob
able that this was the cause of the sickness.
But then. if verdgris had been the cause.
the tomatoes would have assumed a
greenish appearance, while those used in
this case were of pale pink color. 1t
was noticed that the tin of the can was
corroded from the head OF the can around
the cap on the inside One of these was
taken to tinsmith, who showed that the
cap was not fastened to the head of the
can by a resin amalgam as the sides were,
/ but that the amalgam was made of muri-
ate of zinc; that is. pieces of zinc were
put in muriatic acid and dissolved, and
more zinc put in until the acid would no
longer attack it. This solution was paint
ed into the groove of the head of the can.
The cap was then placed on and held with
clamp, and the soldering iron passed
around. The iron being heated very hot.
the solder held the acid in. 1t could not
escape On the outside of the can, and if
there happened to be too much acid in
the groove, then, as the tin expanded with
the heat, it would be forced into the can.
This gave an explanation of the case. The
poison was muriate of zinc and tin, the
acid around the cap, having eaten off the
tin from the inside of the can. The inside
and bottom of the can, where resin ANAL
gam was used, were bright, also the edg-
es. The contrast between these joints and
that of the cap, was so marked that there
could be no doubt of the poison. 1t was
double poison-muriate of zinc and muri-
ate of finland this had become dissolved
in the liquid portion of the tomatoes. 1t
has an irritant caustic and astringent ac-
ton, and in extreme doses commissions and
paralysis occur. Like most other minerals
il may, when constantly taken IN small
doses. be retained until serious symptoms
appear. Of course, the consumption of
single can is not likely to be followed by
fatal results. but constant use of food of
this character will have its effects sooner
or later.
Here are few rules for guidance in case
the housekeeper is unable to can or pre-
serve for herself
l. Every cap should be examined, and
if two holes are found in it, it is ''repro-
cessed" and is unfit for use.
2. Standard or first-class goods have
not only the name of the factory, but also
that of the wholesale house that sells them,
on the label. Seconds" or reprocessed
goods. have stock label of some myth
cal canning house, but do not have the
name of any wholesale grocer on them.
Reject all goods that do not have the name
of the factory and also the names of some
wholesale firms on the label.
3. A "swell" or decomposing can of
goods can always be detected by pressing
in the bottom of the can. A sound can,
pressed. will give solid feeling. When
gas from decomposition is present the tin
will rattle by the bottom being pressed,
as you displace the gas in the can.
A. Reject any can that shows any rust
around the cap on the inside of the head
of the can.
If housekeepers will attend to these
rules there will be less sickness from using
unwhoesome canned goods that many
times is attributed to other causes.-ProU-
idence Star.