hazel-nut, finely powdered, half a pint of dis-dren the box of sweetmeats bedded in colored tilled vinegar, and a bit of alum-powder, with paper, and enclosed in an elegant casket, may a little baysalt; put all in a bottle and shake be corroding unawares the very springs of it, and let it stand till clear. Put a small tea- their existence. As a general rule it is found spoonful into codlings, or whatever you wish to that the red fruits, such as currants, raspbergreen!" ries, and cherries, are uncontaminated with this Again, the "English Housekeeper," a book deleterious metal, but owe their deep hue to which ran through eighteen editions, directs- some red coloring matter, such as a decoction of "to make pickles green boil them with half-logwood, or infusion of beetroot, in the same pence, or allow them to stand for twenty-four way that common white cabbage is converted hours in copper or brass pans!" Has the into red, by the nefarious pickle merchant. notable housewife ever wondered to herself The green fruits are not all deleterious in the how it is that all the pickles of the shops are same degree; there seems to be an ascending of so much more inviting color than her own? scale of virulence, much after the following -we will satisfy her curiosity in a word-she manner:-Limes, gooseberries, rhubarb, greenhas forgotten the "bit of verdigris the bigness gages, olives-the last-mentioned fruit, espeof a hazel-nut," for it is now proved beyond doubt, that to this complexion do they come by the use of copper, introduced for the sole purpose of making them of a lively green. The analyses of twenty samples of pickles bought of the most respectable tradesmen proved, firstly, that the vinegar in the bottles owed most of its strength to the introduction of sulphuric acid; secondly, that out of sixteen different pickles analyzed for the purpose, copper was detected in various amounts. Thus, "two of the samples contained a small quantity; eight rather much, one a considerable quantity, three a very considerable quantity in one, copper was present in a highly deleterious amount, and in two in poisonous amounts. The largest quantity of this metal was found in the bottles consisting entirely of green vegetables, such as gherkins and beans."

cially those of French preparation, generally containing verdigris or the acetate of copper in highly dangerous quantities. The "Lancet" publishes a letter from Mr. Bernays, F.C.S., dated from the Chemical Library, Derby, in which he shows the necessity of watchfulness in the purchase of these articles of food :—

Of this, he says, I will give you a late instance. I had bought a bottle of preserved gooseberries from one of the most respectable grocers in the town, and had its contents transferred to a pie. It struck me that the gooseberries looked fearfully green when cooked; and in eating one with a steel fork its intense bitterness sent me in search of the sugar. After having sweetened and mashed the gooseberries, with the same steel fork, I was about to convey some to my mouth, when I observed the prongs to be completely coated with a thin film of bright metallic copper. My testimony can be borne dined at my table. out by the evidence of others, two of whom

It was fortunate that these three gentlemen used steel forks, which instantly disclosed the mischief; if they had chanced to use silver, all three might have fallen victims to these poisonous conserves.

We trust after this the good housewife will feel jealous no longer, but rest satisfied that the home-made article, if less inviting and vivid in color, is at least more wholesome. A simple test to discover the presence of copper in such articles is to place a bright knittingneedle in the vinegar, and let it remain there for a few hours, when the deleterious metal will speedily form a coating over it, dense or But we are not yet at the worst. When thin, according to the amount which exists. Catherine de Medicis wished to get rid of obWherever large quantities are found, it is wil-noxious persons in an "artistic" manner, she fully inserted for the purpose of producing was in the habit of presenting them with dethe bright-green color, but a small quantity licately made sweetmeats, or trinkets, in may find its way into the pickles in the pro- which death lurked in the most engaging mancess of boiling in copper pans. Messrs. Crosse ner; she carried

Pure death in an earring, a casket,

and Blackwell, the great pickle and preserve manufacturers in Soho, immediately they became aware, from the analyses of the "Lan- A signet, a fan-mount, a filigree basket. cet," that such was the case, in a very praiseworthy manner substituted silver and glass, at Her poisoned feasts are matters of history, a great expense, for all their former vessels. at which people shudder as they read; but we The danger arising from the introduction of question if the diabolical revenge and coldthis virulent poison into our food would not be blooded wickedness of an Italian woman ever so great if it were confined to pickles, of which invented much more deadly trifles than our the quantity taken is small at each meal, but low, cheap confectioners do on the largest it is used to paint all kinds of preserves, and scale. We select from some of these articles fruits for winter pies and tarts are bloomed of bonbonerie the following feast, which we with death. The papa who presents his chil-set before doting mothers, in order that they

throughout with a RED OXIDE OF LEAD, and the tops with BRUNSWICK GREEN. This is one of the worst of all the samples of colored sugar confectionery submitted to analysis, as it contains no less than four deadly poisons!

The painted feast contains then, among its highly injurious ingredients, ferrocyanide of iron or Prussian-blue, Antwerp-blue, gamboge, and ultramarine, and among its deadly poisons the three chrome yellows, red lead, white lead, vermilion, the three Brunswick greens, and Scheele's green or arsenite of copper. The wonder is that, considering we set such poison-traps for children, ten times more enticing and quite as deadly as those used to bane rats, that the greater number of youngsters who partake of them are not at once despatched, and so undoubtedly they would be if nurses were not cautious about these co

Purchased in James Street, Covent Garden. The apples in this sample are colored yellow, lored parts, which have always enjoyed a bad and on one side deep-red; the yellow color ex-name under the general denomination of tending to a considerable depth in the substance" trash and messes." As it is, we are informed of the sugar. The red consists of the usual non- by Dr. Letheby that "no less than seventy metallic pigment, and the yellow is due to the cases of poisoning have been traced to this presence of CHROMATE OF LEAD in really poi- source" within three years! sonous amount !

А Соск,

Purchased in Drury Lane.

In France, Belgium, and Switzerland the coloring of confectionery with poisonous pigments is prohibited, and the vendors are held The beak of the bird is colored bright-yellow, responsible for all accidents which may occur the comb brilliant-red, the wings and tail are to persons from eating their sugar confec variegated, black, two different reds, and yellow; | tionery. It is absolutely essential that some while the stand, as in most of these sugar orna- such prohibition should be made in England. ments, is painted green. The yellow of the beak Arsenic, according to law, must be sold coconsists of CHROMATE OF LEAD; the comb and part of the red color on the back and wings is VERMILION; while the second red color on the wings and tail is the usual pink non-metallic coloring matter, and the stripes of yellow consist of gamboge; lastly, the green of the stand is MIDDLE BRUNSWICK GREEN, and, therefore, contains CHROMATE OF LEAD. In the coloring of this article, then, no less than three active poisons are employed, as well as that drastic purgative gamboge! ORANGES,

lored with soot, in order that its hue may substances: how absurd it is that we should prevent its being used by mistake for other allow other poisons, quite as virulent, to be mixed with the food of children and adults, merely for the sake of the color! All kinds of sugar-plums, comfits, and "kisses," in addition to being often adulterated with large quantities of plaster of Paris, are always open to the suspicion of being poisoned. Necessity cannot be urged for the continuance of this wicked practice, as there are plenty of vegetable pig ments which, if not quite so vivid as the acrid mineral ones, are sufficiently so to please the eye. Of late years a peculiar lozenge has MIXED SUGAR ORNAMENTS, been introduced, in which the flavor of cerPurchased in Middle Row, Holborn. tain fruits is singularly imitated. Thus we The confectionery in this parcel is made up have essence of jargonel drops, essence of into a variety of forms and devices, as hats, jugs, pine-apple drops, and many others of a most baskets, and dishes of fruit and vegetables. One delicate taste. They really are so delicious of the hats is colored yellow with CHROMATE OF that we scarcely like to create a prejudice LEAD, and has a green hatband round it colored against them; but the truth is great, and must with ARSENITE OF COPPER: a second hat is prevail: all these delicate essences are made white, with a blue hatband, the pigment being from a preparation of æther and rancid cheese PRUSSIAN-BLUE. The baskets are colored yel-and butter. low with CHROMATE OF LEAD. Into the coloring

Purchased in Pilgrim Street, Doctors Commons. This is a very unnatural imitation of an orange, it being colored with a coarse and very uneven coating of RED LEAD.

of the pears and peaches the usual non-metallic The manufacturer, perhaps unaware of the pigment, together with CHROMATE OF LEAD and cumulative action of many of his chemicals, MIDDLE BRUNSWICK GREEN, enter largely; while thinks that the small quantity can do no harm. the carrots represented in a dish are colored We have seen, in the matter of preserved

fruits and sugar confectionery, how fallacious with the poisonous drugs aconite and bellais that idea. But the practice of adulteration donna; rhubarb with turmeric and gamboge; often leads to lamentable results of the same cantharides with black pepper; and cod-liver nature, which are quite unintentional on the and castor oils with common and inferior oils; part of their perpetrators, and which occur in whilst opium, one of the sheet-anchors of the the most roundabout manner. An instance physician, is adulterated to the greatest exof this is related by Accum, which goes di- tent in a dozen different ways. rectly to the point. A gentleman, perceiving Medical comforts are equally uncertain. that an attack of colic always supervened Thus potato-flour forms full half of the soupon taking toasted Gloucestershire cheese at called arrowroots of commerce; sago-meal an inn at which he was in the habit of stop- is another very common ingredient in this ping, and having also noticed that a kitten nourishing substance. Out of fifty samples which had partaken of its rind was rendered of so-styled arrowroot, Dr. Hassall found violently sick, had the food analyzed, when it twenty-two adulterated, many of them conwas found that lead was present in it in poi- sisting entirely of potato-flour and sago-meal. sonous quantities. Following up his inquiries, One half of the common oatmeals to be met he ascertained that the maker of the cheese, with are adulterated with barley-meal, a much not finding his annatto sufficiently deep in co- less nutritious substance-an important fact, lor, had resorted to the expedient of coloring which boards of guardians should be acthe commodity with vermilion. This mixture, quainted with. Honey is sophisticated with although pernicious and discreditable, was not flour-starch and sugar-starch. And lastly, we absolutely poisonous, and certainly could not wish to say something important to mothers: account for the disastrous effects of the food on Put no faith in the hundred and one prepathe human system. Trying back still further, rations of farinaceous food for infants which however it was at last found that the druggist are paraded under so many attractive titles. who sold the vermilion had mixed with it a por- They are all composed of wheat-flour, potatotion of red lead, imagining that the pigment was flour, sago, etc.,-very familiar ingredients, only required for house-paint. "Thus," as which would not take with anxious parents Accum remarks, "the druggist sold his ver- unless christened with extraordinary names, milion, in a regular way of trade, adulterated for which their compounders demand an exwith red lead, to increase his profit, without traordinary charge. To invalids we would any suspicion of the use to which it would be also say, place no reliance on the Revalentas applied; and the purchaser who adulterated and Ervalentas advertised through the country the annatto, presuming that the vermilion was as cures for all imaginary diseases. genuine, had no hesitation in heightening the consist almost entirely of lentil-powder, barleycolor of his annatto with so harmless an adjunct. flour, etc., which are charged cent. per cent. Thus, through the diversified and circulatory above their real value. operations of commerce, a portion of deadly poison may find admission into the necessaries of life in a way that can attach no criminality to the parties through whose hands it has successively passed." The curious aspect of this circuitous kind of poisoning is that it occurs through the belief of each adulterating rogue in the honesty of his neighbor.

They

Of all the articles we have touched upon, not one is so important as water. It mixes more or less with all our solid food, and forms nine-tenths of all our drinks. Man himself, as a sanitary writer has observed, is in great part made up of this element, and if you were to put him under a press you would squeeze out of him 8 1-2 pailfulls. That it should be If we could possibly eliminate, from the furnished pure to the consumer is of the first mass of human disease, that occasioned by importance in a sanitary and economic point the constant use of deleterious food, we should of view. We are afraid, however, that but find that it amounted to a very considerable per- feeble attempts have been made to secure this centage on the whole, and that one of the best advantage to the metropolis. At present Lonfriends of the doctor would prove to be the adul-don, with its two and a half millions of poputerator. But even our refuge fails us in our lation, is mainly supplied by nine water comhour of need; the tools of the medical man, panies, six of which derive their supply from like those of the sappers and miners before Se- the Thames, one from the New River, one bastopol, often turn out to be worthless. from the Ravensbourne, and a third from Drugs and medical comforts are perhaps adul- ponds and wells. Besides this supply, which terated as extensively as any other article. ramifies like network over the whole metrop To mention only a few familiar and house- olis, we find dotted about both public and prihold medicines for instance: Epsom salts are vate wells of various qualities. We do not adulterated with sulphate of soda; carbonate intend to follow Dr. Hassall into his microscopof soda with sulphate of soda-a very inju- ic representations of the organic matter, vegrious substitute. Mercury is sometimes fal-etable and animal, by which the customers of sified with lead, tin, and bismuth; gentian one company can compare the water served to

them with that dealt out to others, and thus at year, arose from the fact that the people in a glance assure themselves that they have not the neighborhood were in the habit of visiting more than their share of many-legged, count- a public pump which was proved to be foul less-jointed, hideous animalculæ, which look with drain-water, and the handle of which was formidable enough to frighten one from ever taken off to prevent further mischief. Some touching a drop of London water, but shall of these public pumps appear to yield excelcontent ourselves with giving the general char- lent water-cold, clear, and palatable; but acteristics of the whole of them. With one the presence of these qualities by no means exception they were all of a hardness ranging proves that they are pure. The bright sparkling from 11 to 18 degrees. This hardness depends icy water issuing from the famous Aldgate upon the earthy salts present, such as sul- pump, according to Mr. Simon, the city offi phates and bicarbonates of lime and magne-cer of health, owes its most prized qualities to sia. They were also to some extent saline, as the nitrates which have filtered into the well all the salt used in the metropolis ultimately from the decaying animal matter in an adjoinfinds its way into the Thames, or great sewer- ing churchyard. stream. Not long ago two, at least, of these The porter and stout of the metropolis have six Thames water companies procured their long been famous. The virtues of the latter supply within a short distance of the mouths drink are celebrated all over the world; and of great drains, and all of them resorted to the a Royal Duke, not many weeks ago, ascribed river at different points below Battersea, or the great mortality among the Guards in the that portion of it which receives the drainage East to the want of their favorite beverage. of the metropolis, and is consequently crowded No doubt, the pure liquor as it comes from the with animal and vegetable matter, both living great brewers, is wholesome and strengthand dead, and thick with the mud stirred up ening, but it no sooner gets into possession of by the passages two and fro of the penny the publicans than, in a great majority of ca steamers. The violent outcry made, however, ses the article is made up. A stranger would by the Board of Health, induced two of these naturally suppose that the foaming tankard of companies to carry their feed-pipes as high as Meux's entire which he quaffs at the "MarThames Ditton and Kew Bridge. Next year quis of Granby" has an identical flavor with all the companies taking their supplies from that at the "Blue Boar," where the same brewthe Thames will be compelled to go at least as er's name shines resplendent on the househigh as Kingston, and to submit them to a pro-front:-not a bit of it: one shall be smooth, cess of filtration; but even at this point the pleasantly bitter, slightly acid, and beaded with river is in some degree sewage-tainted, and the a fine and persistent froth; the other, bitter chemically-combined portion of baser matter cannot be removed by any filter.

with the bitterness of soot, salt, clammy, sweet, and frothing with a coarse and evanescent The impurities of the Thames are not all froth. The body of the liquor is undoubtedly we have to deal with-its hardness must cost the same, but the variations are all supplied the Londoners hundreds of thousands a-year by the publicans and sinners. We do not in the article of soap alone. The action upon make émeutes, as they are continually doing lead is also marked; hence we find poisonous in Bavaria, on account of our beer, but we carbonates of that metal held in solution.- have strong feelings on a matter of such Plumbers are well aware of this fact, and fre- national importance; and the wicked ways of quently meet with leaden cisterns deeply cor- brewers and publicans have been made, over roded. This corrosion may arise from either and over again, the subject of parliamentchemical or voltaic action. The junction of ary inquiry. The reports of various comlead and solder, or iron, immersed in water mittees prove that in times past porter and impregnated with salts or acid of any kind, stout were doctored in the most ingenious man. will cause erosion of the metal. A familiar ner, and so universally and unreservedly, that instance of this is seen in the rapid manner a trade sprang up termed brewers' druggists, in which iron railings rust away just where they are socketed in the stonework with lead. The presence of a piece of mortar on the lead of a cistern may even set up this action, and result in giving a whole family the colic.

whose whole business it was to supply to the manufacturers and retailers of the national beverage ingredients for its adulteration; nay, to such an extent did the taste for falsifying beer and porter extend, that one genius, hight The pumps of the metropolis are liable to Jackson, wrote a handbook to show the breweven more contamination than river-water in- ers how to make beer without any malt or hops asmuch as the soil surrounding them is satu- at all. Accum has preserved, in his now anrated with the sewage of innumerable cess- tique pages, some of the receipts in vogue in pools, and with that arising from the leakage his day. The boldness with which our fathers of imperfect drains. Medical men entertain- went to work is amusing; for instance, Mr. ed the opinion that the terrible outbreak of Child, in his "Practical Treatise on Brewcholera in Broad Street, Golden Square, lasting," after having made his non-professional

reader aghast by mentioning a score of perni- the smaller brewers, especially those living in cious articles to be used in beer, remarks in the mildest possible manner,

the country-a belief very much strengthened by the very odd taste we sometimes find in ales and porters, and which is certainly not That, however much they may surprise derived from malt and hops. The common however pernicious or disagreeable they may ap-method of adulterating the national liquor is pear, he has always found them requisite in the by mixing water with it; this is done almost brewing of porter, and he thinks they must in

variab y be used by those who wish to continue universally by the publican, and to a very exthe taste, flavor, and effervescence of the beer.traordinary extent. A comparison between And, though several acts of Parliament have the percentage of alcohol to be found in a givbeen passed to prevent porter brewers from using en number of samples of porter and stout, many of them, yet the author can affirm, from procured from what is termed brewers' taps or experience, he could never produce the present agents, with that existing in a similar number flavored porter without them. The intoxicating of samples purchased of publicans, proves this qualities of porter are to be ascribed to the various fact in a very convincing manner. Dr. Hasdrugs intermixed with it. It is evident some por- sell informs that with regard to the stoutster is more heady than others, and it arises from the greater or less quantity of stupefying ingredients. Malt, to produce intoxication, must be used in such large quantities as would very much diminish, if not totally exclude, the brewers' profit.

the alcohol-of specific gravity 796, temperature 60° Fahr.-contained in the former samples ranged from 7.15 per cent. the highest, to 4.53 the lowest; whereas that of the stouts procured from publicans varied, with one exception, from 4.87 per cent. to 3.25 per cent.

It is clear from this extract that Mr. Child considered the end of all successful brewing The same difference of strength also existed was to make people dead-drunk at the cheap- between the various samples of porter procured est possible rate, regardless of consequences. from the two sources; the amount of alcohol Among the ingredients that Mr. Morris, anoth- in that obtained from the taps varying from er instructor in the art of brewing, tells us are 4.51 per cent. to 2.42 per cent., whereas that requisite to produce a popular article are-purchased of publicans ranged from 3.97 per cocculus indicus and beans, as intoxicators; cent. to 1.81 per cent. The mixture of water, calamus aromaticus, as a substitute for hops; of course, reduces the color, to bring up which quassia as a bitter; coriander-seeds to give fla- both burnt sugar and molasses are extensively vor; capsicums, caraway-seeds, ginger, and used; and, in order that "the appetite may grains of paradise, to give warmth; whilst oys- grow with what it feeds on," tobacco and salt ter-shells are recommended to afford a touch are copiously added by the publican. Beer, of youth to old beer, and alum to give a "smack porter, and stout, are also liable to be contamof age" to new; and when it is desired to inated by the presence of lead. The universal bring it more rapidly "forward," the presiding use of pumping-machines, and the storing of Hecate is told to drop sulphuric acid into her the casks in the cellars, sometimes at a considbrew; by this means an imitation of the age erable distance from the bar, necessitates the of eighteen months was given in a few in- use of long leaden pipes, in passing through stants. Even the "fine cauliflower head," which the liquid, if "stale or sour, oxidates a which is held to be the sign of excellence in portion of the lead. This fact is so well stout, was-and, for all we know, still is-ar-known both to public and publican, that the tificially made by mixing with the article a first pot or two drawn in the morning is gendetestable compound called "beer headings," erally set aside, as, from having lain all night composed of common green vitriol, alum, and in the pipe, it is justly considered injurious. salt, and sometimes by the simple addition of The liberality of the barmaid in thus sacrifisalts of steel. That these articles were com-cing a portion of the liquor is more apparent monly employed we have the evidence of the than real. The reader has, perhaps, noticed Excise department, which published a long that most public-house counters are fitted up list of such ingredients seized by them on the with metal tops, in which gratings are inserted premises of brewers and brewers' druggists.* to drain off all the spilt liquor, drainings of Many of the glaring adulterations are proba- glasses, heel-taps of pots, etc.; down these bly no longer in general use, although, from gratings goes "the first draught" with its dose the evidence given before a recent committee of oxide of lead. The receptacle below, of the House of Commons, it is believed that sulphuric acid, salt of steel, sulphate of iron, and cocculus indicus are still resorted to by

It will be scarcely necessary to say that the great London brewers have never laid themselves open to the suspicion of having adulterated their liquor.

which contains all this refuse, together with that at the bottoms of barrels, the publican either returns to the brewer, or empties it himself into half-filled casks.

The public were very needlessly alarmed some two or three years ago by a statement made by M. Payen, a celebrated French