Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-01-29
Washlngtun Standard
PUISONS IN EVERYDAY FOOD.
InIInitcsimni In Quantity. Hut
Virulcnt II Concentrates.
New York Tribune.

Nirulcnt II Concentrated.
New York Tribune.
One 81 the curious and little known
facts brought To- light 10y recent in
vc>tigatiuns l. that in almost every
Kind ui fond some small amount uf
poison i to h- found. Often the
u1untitv j. - .-mall that chemical
ANALYSIS du-> not reveal il. and ii l.
only discovered toy certain effects upon
the human system under certain con-
ditions. Small a. these quantities oi
poison are, however, in comparison
with the other constituents OF any one
food, they do exist, and are pOisons OF
u deadly sort. Concentrated, the
amount OF poison that is taken into
the system during an average lifetime
would be sufficient to kill an army
instantly. Yet the extremely minute
fragments absorbed during each meal
not only do no harm, but seem almost
health giving. At least, it is certain
that many Of the most dangerous and
destructive substances known exist in
tangible quantities in some of the
most valued foods.
Foods that contain the worst poi
sons in these tiny quantities may be
eaten constantly without any unfor-
tunate results. There is no more
popular and widely used food than the
potato. In Ireland, in certain dis
tricts, little else is eaten, and the
peasants thrive wonderfully on them.
Yet the potato belongs to the same
botanical class as the deadly night
shade and has in it the same poison
Gus element.
Many other vegetables have the
same curious quality. In nearly every
vegetable and fruit that grows above
the ground, except the cabbage class,
what are known as vegetable acids
exist. There is different one in each
vegetable and variety of fruit, and all
are deadly poisons. Nevertheless, it
would he impossible to get sufficient
quantity into the stomach at a single
meal to do even the slightest injury,
and the gastric juice absorbs and
renders harmless these poisons I'M
failingly.
Tapioca is another food substance
that contains poison. This has lorg
been known. The fact was again
called to the attention of scientists by
Henry NJ. Stanley, who carried in his
kit on one of his journies in the dark
continent large quantity of tapioca,
and had the opportunity to detect the
danger in its use when not properly
prepared. Under proper conditions
tapiOca is not harmful, but poison is
present in it in such a large quantity
that many precautions should be
taken.
Even beer has its portion of poison,
a substance known as piero-toxin.
Lemon juice contains virulent and
dangerous element-citric acid-and
in many of the lemon drops and boil
ties of lemon juice commercially pre-
pared this substance is made up in
the laboratory and mixed with a dis.
regard of the way nature does it. The
natural juice of the lemon is not in
tho least poisonous, even taken in
large quantities, but lemon juice
chemically made, as it frequently is
for the trade, needs to be looked
warily at.
Bitter almonds have poison in them
to such perceptible extent that &C.
tual cases of poisoning are on record
Strawberries and rhubarb centain
oxalic acid. This, as almost every.
body knows, is enc of the most deadly
and rapid poisons when used in any
appreciable quantity. Certain people
are affected quickly by even "a few
strawberries. HOLSTERS, shellfish and
crabs possess an irritant poison which
produces nausea, vomiting and gen.
eral depression in addition to skin
eruptions. In ice cream is some.
times to be found tyrotoxicon, and
clam chowder, made under the best
conditions, often has ptomaines of a
virulent and dangerous sort.