The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-12-19
SAD NEWS FROM ST. GALL.
Wide Use of Adu1terants in Food and
Drink Reported in Switzerland.

Some weeks ago an American consul
in Germany conveyed the suggestion to
the state department that the annexation
of the republic of Switzerland to the
United States would be very desirable
thing for the former and that there were
many persons in Switzerland who were
not adverse to a change of allegiance
from the Helvetian to the American re-
public. Very little attention of a seri-
Gus kind was given at the time to the
suggestion, but it found some supporters
among those who have come to regard
the little Alpine republic as an idyllic
constituency, in which jails are few, acts
of violence infrequent, and the expendi-
lures of the government nominal.
This encouraging view of the case is,
however, rudely overthrown in com
| munication sent to the state department
by the American CONSUL Mr.. De Boise.
at st. Gall, Switzerland, who, while ex-
tolling the purity and excellence of
American meats and fruits, cereals
and canned goods, declares that
the adulteration of food is gem
eral in Europe, and that in Swift
zerland laws against it have had to
be adopted. He points out that the
slot machines have increased the con-
sumption of chocolate, and that accom-
panying it there has been a correspond
ing increase in mutton tallow, sawdust
and potato meal, three adulterants.
Honey, of which the Swiss have long
been proud is deprived of some OF its
fame through manufactures for the
making of artificial honey, the chief in
gradients of which are syrup, meal and
cornstarch Swiss cheese is mixed with
potatoes ground to a powder; butter IS
adulterated with carrot juice. Bread,
which furnishes 70 per cent. of the nour-
ishment of the people of the Swiss repub-
lie is mixed with potato meal and the
dough is soaked heavily with water to
add to the weight of each loaf. With cof-
fee, tanbark, Sawdust, stove rust and
chicOry are mixed; and as adulterants for
tea linden, sage and strawberry leaves
are used to the great profit of the retailer
and to the detriment of the consumer.
The chemical analysis of the beer sold
in Switzerland proves, it is asserted, that
the following ingredients are added as
substitutes for malt and hops: Potash,
vitirol of iron, alum, licorice, linseed, sOlu'
ton of tartar, poppy heads, guinea grains,
camomile, pine sprouts, chicory, henbane
and wild cherries. 1t has often seemed
to many persons of the United States
that the notions as to the adulterants
used in beverages and food preparations
must be exaggerated. for the cost of the
articles used, generally expensive chemi-
calls, is known to be greater than that of
the udrlllleSS luSFeuIeulS WHICH luey re-
place, and if the beer of Switzerland
contains all the ingredients named by the
consul, it would seem that like reason
for incredulity would exist there. The
consul explains the apparent paradox as
follows:
These substances enable the manu-
facturers to produce beer cheaper, and
some of them help make it heavier and
more stimulating. From the large guam
tity consumed it would seem that this is
what some people demand; consequently
the supply"
Wine is freely drunk in Switzerland
and there is a large demand for alcoholic
beverages there The American consul
in st. Gall declares that ''some of the
wine that is consumed has never con-
tanned a drop of grape juice and many
of the liquors, he adds, contain hardly a
drop of the genuine article. Potato
syrup dissolved in rain water makes, he
says, a salable beverage and the desired
color and bouquet are obtained ''by mix
ing wine acids with cream of tartar.'