Year: 1872

Much has heen said of late with regard
to the danger of metallic poisoning from
eating fruit especially very acid fruit)
which has been put up in tin cans. A
cotemporary says that tin has long been
Justly regarded as one of the metals from
the ordinary uses of which mankind have
nothing to fear. But the present age is
characterized by its tactitious limitations.
That which goes by the name of tin foil, is
mostly on alloy of tin and lead, and ii is
charged that many of the caps used for
fruit jars, are mlde of zinc instead of tin.
1t is well known, ALSO that lead is used in
soldering cans, and that this metal is at
tackled by certain orgsnic acids which are
contained in fruits. The tin OF commerce
is also by no means pure, and hOuseke. pers
will vouch that the tin cans are often at
tackled by these acids, and eaten through
so as to leak their fluid contents. In the
case of impurities in the tin used to coat
the iron of the tin plates of commerce
when the cans are thus attacked, it may
we'll be doubted whether the cumulated
effects OF metallic poisoning do not some
times result from this cause.


So far as the evidence of the senses goes,
housekeepers know that cooking tomatoes
in tin "ruins the basins" as one good
woman said and another adwitted that
she commonly used up at least one basin in
a seas for this purpose. How much in
jury the partaker receives, we do not know,
bu! so much has been said of the sad effects
Of metallic poisoning, even in small though
long continued doses, that we would like 10
be assured of safety Professor Youmans
thinks it small matter, but many medical
authorities disagree with him. One of the
latter says: ''It ought to be known to
housekeepers that aid, fatty, saline and
even aIbuminous substances, may occasion
collie, vomiting, etc, after having remained
some time in tin vessels"


We see that the inner surface OF the tin
eau is discolored after having been used
for fruit, and We find that the favors Of
the more delicate fruits are injured when
they have been kept in tin cans. Zinc is
more readily oxidzed than tin, and yet the
caps of some of our glass cans are made OF
that metal.


If the amount of tin that may enter the
system, as result of its domestic use, is
not likely to prove injurious, the questions
are narrowed down to the parity of the
article used, and the actus results of using
the various cans prepared for our market.


Professor Edwards of the Wonan's
Medical College of the N. Y. Infrmary,
said that the tin cans, as prepared, are
very unsafe, that the acids dissolve the
lead solder and sometimes eat through the
entire plate, making the cans leak, and
also that serious cases Of poisoning had
occurred from using their contents. II
facts like these could be called out from
scientific men, they would arrest public
attention, and they might suggest to manu-
facturers of glass cans the desirability Of
protecting the inner surfaces Of their me
tallc caps in some way. Those with me
tallic caps work so much more easily than
others. that they will long be more or les>
in demand Some people line their caps
with stiff white paper-a small protection
of course.


This subject is of considerable importance
in domestic economy of the household, and
one which should be more freely and fully
discourscd by scientific men. Canned
fruit has become matter of almost daily
use in many families, aud if our families
are eating slow, metallic poison, the
public ought to know it, and have the in
formation conveyed by authority competent
to Judge and advise correctly.