St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-26

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platinum dishes, which have superseded
the porcelain, are very expensive and
cost the department about 81 EACH" re-
marked the chemist. ~ place this dish
on the Davenport water bath and evap-
crate the vinegar, leaving the solid resi-
due. This residue will determine the
adulteratiOn In the shape of free min
eral acids, or the use of sulphuric acid
in the vinegar" The water bath is an
Ingenious water heater, which is never
allowed to cool. Upon it the vinegar
evaporated and finally nothing but a
sticky looking brown substance was left
in the bottom of the dish. The dish
was then placed in dessicator. air
tight and with vessel of sulphurie
acid at the bottom, to remove every par
cOmpiished the dish was weighed In
one of those delicate scales that
nOterof dust would turn; the weight
Of the dish was subtracted, and the
chemist announced; ''fhiS shows
percentage of 2.25 of solid residue, and
would indicate purity. 1t shows the
proper presence of the pumice, ash.
etc. from the fruit. Now this residue
is heated and carbonized. FIJI show
YOU" The dish was placed over a.
strong heat from gas jet until the
platinum grew red hot. The brown
residue siZzled then blackened out.
When fully carboniZed the dish was
again dried in desiccator and then
little distilled water added. Nov
will test it for acid or alkali. If it.shOws
alkali it will indicate the absence of
free mineral acids. as it should, but if
acid it would indicate that sulphuric
acid had been used in the vinegar" A
strip of litmus paper was dropped
IN the dish and instantly turned bright
blue. There is your alkali, all right;
II it had been acid the paper would
have turned to pink. That's all right
so far.' @... e--
docs that complete the test?"
"Oh, no, there are other important
steps. We must now test it for malic
acid, or fruit principle. If malic acid
Is absent 1t will show that low wine
Instead of fruit has been used to make
this vinegar. | place five cubic cent?
Hletres OF the vinegar i'll Il test tube and
add Jew drops of solution Of Subace-
tate of lead. Now watch it. Ii it grows
hoeculent. it will show the presence of
nlalic acid. See! Notice the cloudy
gathering. There you are. Now it will
settle down clear as the fruit portion is
precipitaJed. There it goes. That
shows this vinegar was made of fruit.
This seems to he a very good vinegar
we got hold of. That dealer is all
right.
Now comes the test for sulphates
and chi0rides, which should turn up
absent in ueh vinegar as This. take
a little more of the vinegar in this
test tube and drop in solution of barrie
chloride to test for Sulpha rs. Ii there
are any Sulphates, the vinegar will grow
cloudy. NOW watch it. See. clear as
bell; no sulphateS there. What would
they Indicate? The presence OF free
mineral acitis. Now for the chloride.
| will put in a little nitrate OF silver.
which will cloud the vinegar if any
ehlorides are present. There! You SEE.
it Is a little cloudy, But there is no pre-
cipitati0n. Pretty good vinegar that.
Now, the vinegar test is concluded and
| note the Result in my book and Oh the
the back OF the inspection card III this
way:
ANALYSIS Dc.
Specific gravity, 8 oeg Fair. I.0197
FER cent of acetie acid. --.-..-.-5.4 .S
With subacetate of lead ..FloecuIent precipi-
tatIOn settling out clear
WIN Daflc chloride. .........-.......... Clear
f MHn am. oAiue ...---'--- - Lear
Absence OF chloride would indicate pure
elder vinegar
IF that had been adulterated vinegar
and we had the seller in court, here is
the evidence in a shape that cannot be
disputed. The cOmm0neSt form of adui-
terarion of vinegar is i'll the absence
Of acetic acid, and if your pick les do
tt keep well, you may be pretty sure
tn, re is that defect in the vinegar"
W nat a wonderful ami valuable adj
ditsOn to the public authority is this de-
partment, was my mental comment.
Surely the taxes wrung from the poor
er portion of the population could be
devoted to no more worthy purpose than
this of seeking out and preventing the.
adulteratiDH of foods. 1t represents
the preservation OF health and the sal
wage OF doctor bills. at one moment, to
say nothing of the strong moral Stim-
illus to the honesty of world. 1t has
Just begun on this good work it is sure
to accomplish. The laboratory that has
been placed at the disposal of Mr.. Eber-
man, cost about $500. and is very CON-
pIete, though small. Itcontains every.
thing necessary for this branch of,the
service. and in him the state has secured
valuable man. Commissioner Ives is
awake to the Importance of his mission.
and all good citizens will unite in hold
ing up his hands. II. T. 3.