Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-11-28
lining the system, expecting to adopt it
for use in the construction of torpedo
Spurious Spices.
rom the Washington Star.
boats.

FROM Inc WasuluRtOu StdI
DR.. Thomas Taylor, microscopic OF
the agricultural department, is engaged
in making microscopic examinations OF
a number of samples of condiments
purchased at various stores in this city.
Samples of pepper, allspice and cloves
are now undergoing scrutiny. In
almost, if not every sample examined,
some adulterant has been been found.
The condiments are purchased at stores
and delivered in dramatically sealed
packages bearing the names and ad-
dresses of the manufacturers. The la
bells are numbered and carefully put
away for further reference. Both the
whole berries and the ground condl-
ments are purchased. DR.. Taylor SAID
to q Star reporter that the investigation
was mainly for the purpose of finding
out simple methods by which adulter-
ating ingredients may be detected. !,
In making the investigations he mad
observed that the common adultefants,
brick-dust and sand, were not used so
much now as they were formerly. but ne
has found that stone cells OF olives ana
other seed are largely used. Peach seed,
olive seed and cocoanut shells, he
thought were the principal adulterapts.
They have no taste or smell, and he saw
no reason why they could not be used
in all condiments. To make microscopic
sections of black pepper berry is In
serted in wax tip on common CORK,
and, by means of the microtone, new
invention OF DIR. Tavlor's, a shaving thin
enough to be transparent is taken from
the berry which is buried in the wax.
This is transferred to glass and photo
graphed for the purpose OF ascertaln1ng
It's structure. 1t is also drawn IN colorS,
stains being used, enabling one to de-
tect the various substances.
DIR. TAYLOR has obtained from the
olive and vine farm of S. E. Goodridge,
in California, a quantity of olive stones.
The stones were ground to powder and
passed through the finest sieve imagln-
able. By supjecting portion OF this
powder to the microscope it was found
to be composed of what is known to the
lied light they are very brilliant and
easily distinguished from the stone cells
of the genuine article. AS compared
with the stone cells of black pepper
they are long and narrow. AS already
stated, another adulterant used
is ground cocoanut shell. The
powder made by the shells
is much darker than that
made by the olive stones, which is
of a yellowish hue. The cocoanut-shell
powder is more suitable to ginger and
spices. The structure of the different
condiments having been determined
it can be easily ascertained with the
microscope whether or not any foreign
substance has been introduced In II
and what the substance is. Black pep
per, when good, said Dr. Taylor, will
have fair share of the black skin
covering of the berry. When there is
scarcity of the black skin In the
pepper and it appears streaky
the article is apt to contain some adul-
terant. Authorizations, be said, can
easily be detected by the fingers. AL
that is necessary is TO put some of the
article in water aud rub it between
your fingers. If an adulterant has
been used the stone cells can be felt
After taking your fingers from the
water some Of the stone cells will re-
main on them.
When asked whether the result OF
the microscopic examination would
hold good in prosecution for selling
adulterated food, the Doctor said that
there was not the slightest doubt but
what it would. He said that micro
scopic tests or bogus butter had stood in
the courts, but he knew of no convic-
tons where the ANALYSIS was made by a
chemist