The age-herald., 1900-12-29
ARSENIC IN BEER.
The Subject One of Importance and
 Needs General Legislation.

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
 The leading English newspapers devote a great deal of space to reports of the dis covery of arsenic in beer, and to discus sion of the laws regulating adulteration. Several independent official Investigations have clearly proved the presence of arsenic in beer made from glucose from one manu- factory, and an epidemic of diseases has been clearly traced to arsenical poisoning due to the beer made of this particular brand of glucose. No trace of arsenic was found in other samples of beer, nor in oth- CT samples of glucose. Five breweries in Manchester were using the poisonous slu- cose, but stopped using 1t and recalled the beer already sent out as soon as they were informed of it's deleterious properties.
 The resence of arsenic is believed to have been due to the use of impure sulphuric acid in the preparation of the glucose. Un- der the drug and food acts guilty knowl- edge of the presence of an injurious in- gTedient is essential to proof of an of- fence so that no prosecution can be insti- tuted in these cases, since no one was aware of the presence of arsenic in the beer until an epidemic of disease directed attention to the matter, and chemists found the poison by analysis. If, however, brewers should continue to use the impure glucose after having been warned of its character, they would be subject to prose- cution under existing law.
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 One chemist writes to the Manchester Guardian that the simplest of all remedies Is to follow an example set by Bavaria nearly 400 years ago. In 1516 an edict was issued forbidding the employment for the making of beer of any other materials than barley, hops and water. That is the law in Bavaria today, and it is enforced. The quality of Bavarian beer has also been improved through the operation of certain tax laws, under which it is profitable for the brewer to use the best barley that is obtainable
 Chemical analysis shows that Bavarian beer is superior to English beer in nutri- tive quality as well as in the smaller amount of alcohol contained therein. In a number of samples the Average quantity of alcohol in Bavarian beer was only found about one-half as much as was found in corresponding Enlsh beer.
 The subject is one of great importance, and seems likely to lead to general legs- lation that win apply to all food products, and require that they shah be sold for what they are. But the enforcement of such laws is a matter of the greatest diff ficulty, as witness the struggle that has been going on for years to compel oleo- margarine dealers to sell their wares for what they are instead of passing them off as butter But while Congress is- deter mined to so largely decrease the tax on beer why should 1t not show little resolu- tion nthe way of making the article req sonably pure?