Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-25

ABLY lnuueutiai IN the cousatlOu OF bne
grocer's itch. They belong to the same fam
semble it in general responsiveness of appear
ance. One has the same, creepy. itchy SEN
sation in examining it. One lady to whom
the writer showed several specimens, said:
s'I have eaten my last grain of brown sugar;
would feel as if were swallowing q paper
of tacks, If were ever again to take a
mouthful of the stuff
As to the glucose found, it is not a very
serious matter in Itself, for though of less
sweetening power than pure sugar, it is
healthy enough and exists in many foods;
but it is sophistication, nevertheless, and
an imposition on the public. unless the
sugar containing it is sold correspondingly
cheap. The chief danger, however, lies in
the fact that some of the commercial glu-
cose contains arsenic lett in it by the oil of
yitriOl used In its manufacture
ARSENIC IN SUGAR.
The arsenic found in one sample was
probably from this source The quantity
found, however, was not sufficient to pro-
duce any harm unless the sugar containing
it was partaken OF in quantities larger than
is usual and tor long period of time, in
which case it would tend to accumulate in
the system and ultimately produce poison
GUS effects. Some glucose is present in all
sugars, but the before mentioned instances
were those only in which it was present in
such quantities as to indicate that it had
been added as an adulteratlon.
The mineral matters found were not of an
injurious character, though adding to the
weight and profits. Sand, that traditional
adulterant of sugar, was conspicuous by its
absence in the samples analvzed. The
starch found was, of course. not injurious,
though it was an adulterstion.
Taking it as a whole, brown sugar is too
filthy for use as human food.
Analyses of white granulated sugars, how
ever, indicate much better condition of
things. OF IL samples examined all were
pure. The reason probably is that in crys-
tallization no impurities are taken up, and
afterward it is difficult to mix in an adul-
terant that cannot be readily detected. The
ungranulated white sugar, commonly called
"pulverized," was adulterated to a greater
extent than either the brown or the granu-
lated white. Out of five samples, all con-
tanned more than 20 per cent of insoluble
matter, chiefly chalk.
PURE MoLAssEs.
Molasses and syrup we've both reasonably
pure, as were also four out of five specimens
of comb honey examined. Three samples
of clarified" honey analyzed were pure
that is, pure artificial glucose. The only
honey there was about them was the por-
tions of comb floating around in one speci-
men. They were favored with products of
the chemical laboratory. All honey made
by the bee contains pollen grains of the
flowers from which the honey is extracted,
and as the pollen of each flower is charac-
terIstic it is an easy matter to tell from
what plants any given sample of honey is
made. Thus, in white clover honey, white
clover pollen will predominate.
As stated above, four out of five speci-
mems of comb honey were pure. Now the
other one of the five was an interesting
piece of American ingenuity. To look at it
was a luscious morsel to behold; when
spoon was stuck into it the rich contents of
the cells ran out and made the analysts
mouth water. When he wrapped his tongue
around it, he was firm in the conviction
that he had never tasted anything quite SO
nice. Yet the proof of the pudding was not
in the eating. Analysis showed that bee
had never been within smelling distance OF
that honey. The comb was made OF paraf-
fine, and the syrup was made of glucose,
with some cane sugar added. Not trace
of pollen was to be found, nor a honey
crystal. No deleterious substances were
detected and it is not probable that this
''honey" (?) was any less wholesome than
the pure bee-made article. This brand is
extensively shipped all over Europe, and as
it looks even better than genuine honey, it
has an extensive sale. But, We gods, what
wonder the average European is suspicious
of American productsl What wonder that
the idea is prevalent in Germany that
Americans feed their hogs on trichine
to increase their weight" as once heard q
German remark.
CHEvALIER @. JACKSON, NJ d.