Essay on the Liverpool spa' water / [Thomas Houlston].

  • Thomas Houlston
Date:
1773
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essay on the Liverpool spa' water / [Thomas Houlston]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    64/76 (page 62)
    poifon has been frequently added unknowingly and undefignedly. If any lead vedels be ufeddri< the preparation of cyder (as about the trough,, prefs, ciftern, fpouts &:c.) the native acid of the apple dilTolves the metal, and forms with it fu- gar of lead, of which fo fmall a portion, as fix or twelve grains, has been known to produce the mod terrible effedls. In Devonfhire particular¬ ly, lead was frequently employ’d in pre¬ paring their cyder, and hence the metallic colic is endemial, and the other effedis of this poifon more frequent in that county, and the colic has obtain’d amongft us the name of the Devon- fiire colic. Lead has alfo fometimes-been com¬ bin’d with cyder, made-wines, &c. wijkilljtillyy by perfons appriz’d of its corredling, and igno¬ rant of its poifonous, quality. Thus hanging a lead weight, or putting lead melted and pour’d into v/ater, in the cafkdecanting the liquor in¬ to a leaden ciftern ; boiling if, before fermenta^ - lion, in a copper, the upper part of which i^ of lead; and ev^n adding litharge; have been prac- tifed, and advifed, as ufeful improvements, to, the great detriment of the families who have a-, dopted this cu(lorn., which, tho’ recommended in fome cookery books, as a piece of good houfe- wifery, for correding any acid tendency in wine, cyder, &c. has repeatedly proved fatal. Several inftances are produced by Dr. Baker of metallic