Volume 2

Health lectures for the people.

Date:
1883-1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health lectures for the people. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    154/600 (page 142)
    second cannot be inflicted until the first has taken place, and as, moreover, the first very often constitutes a very important part of the second in its most salutary form—the first, that is the discovery, becomes of the greatest importance. The detection of adulteration of food is eS'ected by means of two agencies—chemical analyses and microscopical examination. Alum in bread, copper in vegetables, and water in milk, are all detected by means of analysis, while flour in mustard, barley in oatmeal, starch in pepper, are allfdiscovered by the aid of the microscope. These examinations, chemical and microscopical, are carried out, as most people are aware, by a body v f men known as Public Analysts. These ofiicials have not as yet been very long in existence, and yet, notwithstanding great and manifold forms of opposition, have already, as shown by the table I have suspended on the wall, lessened adulteration to a very great extent. This table, though, besides showing what Public Analysts have done, shows also what an enormous amount of work they have yet to do. For in looking at this table, it must be remembered that many of the samples of food therein referred to were procured by ofiicial inspectors, who are unfortunately too well known to the dealers, and who, therefore,—their errand being known,—are supplied frequently with goods very superior to what are given to the public under the same name. One of the inspectors in a county in the South of Scotland pointed out to me that so well known was he that one shop- keeper had a stock of bags evidently for his special use. So that whether he bought sugar, tea, or oatmeal, it was always put into a bag, bearing on its face, Notice—This is sold as a mixture of chicory and coffee. From this table, to which I have just referred, it will be seen that of all the samples of food sold in the way I have men- tioned, no less than 21 per cent, were adulterated, and I have not the slightest doubt that had these samples all been bought by ordinary people in the usual way, the percentage of adulterated samples would have been very much higher.