Food and its adulterations : comprising the reports of the Analytical sanitary commission of "The Lancet" for the years 1851 to 1854 inclusive, revised and extended being records of the results of some thousands of original microscopical and chemical analyses of the solids and fluids consumed by all classes of the public ... / by Arthur Hill Hassall.

  • Hassall, Arthur Hill, 1817-1894.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Food and its adulterations : comprising the reports of the Analytical sanitary commission of "The Lancet" for the years 1851 to 1854 inclusive, revised and extended being records of the results of some thousands of original microscopical and chemical analyses of the solids and fluids consumed by all classes of the public ... / by Arthur Hill Hassall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    'dealers are but seldom troubled with the visits of the excise officers at all, - so that full opportunities are afforded to them for the practice of adultera- ; tion, of which, as the records contained in this work show, they are not -slow to avail themselves. Moreover, the efforts of the exciseman are usually directed to the discovery of the adulterating ingredients in the mass, in the raw state, if we may so term it, and not in the manufactured and adulterated article. In some cases this method of proceeding is no doubt productive of useful results, but in too many instances it fails; moreover, it must be remembered that it is one which is enormously costly. While it might be advisable to retain in some cases the services of excise inspectors or I officers, the number employed might doubtless be much reduced, and thus J a great saving would be effected, and the work at the same time less I objectionably and much more efficiently and scientifically performed. We reserve for the present the details by which these very desirable I results might be secured, and will now confine ourselves to the remark t that the methods at present adopted by the Excise for detecting adultera- ; tions are unworthy of the scientific character of the times in which we live. We believe, however, that the importance of a more full application of ! science to the question of adulteration has begun to be considered by the Excise authorities, and that some studentships have been instituted for the instruction of young men in those sciences, the knowledge of which is absolutely necessary to qualify them for the duties of excise examiners. We have now shown that the State is deeply concerned in a pecuniary respect in the question of the adulteration of exciseable articles of con- sumption. The next point for consideration is the sanitary aspect of the subject. Sufficient evidence will be found in the present work to show that this is not an unimportant branch of the question. The following more or less injurious, deleterious, or poisonous substances have been detected in the several articles already reported upon : thus in — Coffee - - - Chicory, Roasted Corn and Beans, CaiTots, Acorn, &c., injurious indirectly by depriving the consumer of so much Coffee, with the valuable properties of which the substituted ai'ticles have nothing in common. Cocoa - - - Inferior Starches, Coarse Sugar, and Ferruginous Earths, as Vene- tian Eed and Ochre. CAYEXNEPepper and Red Lead, Vermilion or Bisulphuret of Mercury, and Venetian CuHRY Powder. Red. Coloured Confec- Red Lead, Vermilion, Gamboge, Chrome Yellow or Chromate TioNERT. of Lead, Prussian Blue, Verditer or Carbonate of Copper, Emerald Green or Arsenite of Copper, the three Brunswick Greens, various Oxides of Iron, White Lead or Carbonate of Lead. Custard Powders - Chrome Yellow. CiN - - . . Cayenne. Pickles, Preserves,] and Bottle Fruits [-Certain Salts of Copper, chiefly the Acetate. AND Vegetables. J Potted Meats and~| Fish, Anchovies I Iron Earths, as Venetian Red and Bole Armenian. and Sauces. J