Adulterations detected, or, Plain instructions for the discovery of frauds in food and medicine / by Arthur Hill Hassall.

Hassall, Arthur Hill, 1817-1894.

Date:: 1861

Credit: Adulterations detected, or, Plain instructions for the discovery of frauds in food and medicine / by Arthur Hill Hassall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

716/806 (page 688)

$Those of turmeric, gentian, and fenuorreek are usually prepared after the following receipts, or some modifications of them : — Turmeric Powder. Gentian Powder. Yellow ochre - I lb. Gentian - - 1 lb. Turmeric - 1 lb. Linseed - - 1 lb. Wheat flour - 2 lbs. * Wheat flour - 2 lbs. Cape aloes - grs. Fenugreek Powder. Fenugreek, lb. iss. Turmeric, 3 xii. Wheat flour, lb. iii. This custom is defended on the plea that no deception is practised, and that these powders are sold as compound articles. This may be so as between the wholesale and retail dealers in drugs, but it assuredly is not the case as between these parties and the medical profession and the public : the liquorice powders, the extensive and varied adul- teration of whicli we have just described, were sold simply as liquo- rice, and no acknowledgment whatever was made even m a single instance of their compound character. It is evident that the practice of making and selling these com- pound powders is most objectionable; it indicates a laxity of princi- ple, both on the part of the wholeside and retail dealers in drugs, and it is clear that the medical profession and the public are by it seriously imposed upon. It is aflSrmed that it is as cattle medicines that these compounds are used. Although this is the case to some extent, yet it is very cer- tain that they are not thus exclusively employed ; besides, why should these adulterated powders be thrust down the throats of cattle ? We have now shown that liquorice in all its forms and varieties is subject to an enormous amount of adulteration, and that various sub- stances are employed for that purpose. Thus it has been shown — That the whole of the Ibreign extracts or roll liquorices were adul- terated, some to the extent of nearly 50 per cent. That the whole of the pipe liquorices examined were also adul- terated, some of them not containing one third their weight of li- quorice. That the Pontefract lozenges likewise contained but little liquorice. That of the samples of the extract of liquorice of the Pharmacopoeia, (me half were adulterated; these for the most part consisting of the foreign extract melted down. Lastly, that a large proportion of the ])owdered liquorices examined were adulterated, many of them containing only as much liquorice as was necessary to impart the flavour of the genuine powder.$