2389. Difficulty Of Detecting Adulterations

It is obvious, that if adulterations could be easily discovered, tradespeople who resorted to them would soon suffer from discredit. Many of the adulterations defy even the power of the chemist,and Dr. Has-sal's investigations are exceedingly im-perfect, being chiefly confined to the agency of the microscope, and passing over a large catalogue of liquid and oleaginous compounds. For many adulterations, the retail dealer is not responsible. Do all he may, he cannot obtain a pure article, since it undergoes adulteration in every stage of its progress to the market, and many sub-stances partake of compound adulteration. Thus Cayenne pepper may be adulterated with mustard, which has previously been adulterated with a cheaper farina, and the whole be coloured with vermilion, cochineal, or red-lead, either or all of which may previously have been adulterated with gome inferior substance.

2390. How To Escape Adulterations, And Also To Detect Fraudulent Traders

We are not about to advise the housewife to set up a chemical laboratory nor to put her husband to the expense of a compound achromatic microscope. Our instructions will neither burn holes in her dress, stain her mahogany table, blacken her nails, make smarting chaps in her hands, nor fill her with monomaniacal fears that she is being ossified by bone-dust, or that in a little while she will be crystallized all over like an alum-basket. Our apparatus is as follows: -

A hand flour-mill, A pestle and mortar, A coffee-mill, A pepper and spice-mill, Meat-cutting machine, Scales and weights, Imperial measures,

2391. Formation Of Family Circles

The mill is the most expensive item in this table of expenditure - and what we propose is this: - "Family Circles" ('see 340 ) should be called, for the purpose of mitigating the evils complained of. Let every "Circle" have its mill - let it be kept at a place convenient to all. By such means, a capital subscribed by each member, would be sufficient; a little company would be formed, upon a better principle than that of "limited liability," since the capital being paid up, there would be no liability at all! What would be the result? Why, that people would obtain pure bread, pure coffee, pure condiments, and other things, at a cost of full twenty-five per cent, under that which they now pay for spurious and health-destroying mixtures.

2392. Other Evils besides "Adulterations." - The butcher cannot adulterate the beef and the mutton (see 1), but he can send home short weight; and the baker, besides putting alum in the bread, to make it white and retain water, can send home deficient weight; the same with the grocer, and the coal merchant; the publican can give short measure, and froth up the porter to fill the jug, and disguise the shortness of quantity; and the draper can slip his scissors the wrong side of his finger, and make a yard contain only thirty-three inches. We don't mean to say that they do this, nor do we mean to say that they don't. We argue, that people ought to possess the means of ascertaining who among shop-keepers arc honest, and who are not. Then the just would meet with justice, and the unjust would suffer for their own sins.

2393. Adulterations, And Really Simple Modes Of Detecting Them

Arrowroot is adulterated with potato-starch, sago, and tapioca-starch. There is nothing injurious in these adulterations. When largely adulterated with potato-starch, the arrowroot,being passed through the hand, imparts a slippery and glaze-like feeling. Pure arrowroot may generally be obtained by paying the best prices. The arrow-root packed in tin cases, and puffed as pure, may generally be regarded as highly adulterated.

2394. Anatto is adulterated with chalk, wheat-flour, rye-flour, salt, and soap; and is coloured with Venetian red and red lead. It is difficult to detect these adulterations.

2395. A Microscope will be of material assistance in detecting the admixture of impure substances with articles of food. Even a common phial filled with water possesses a high magnifying power. (See 3778.)

239G. Brandy is adulterated with cayenne pepper, water and burnt sugar.