I 3h ] 



increafes the danger. An inftancc of this kind 

 lately occurred at Fronfie:—A family of three per- 

 fons drank freely of this liquor, and were at length 

 feized with the colick of Poitou. The mafter who 

 drank the greatcft quantity, fufFered mo(V, and his 

 difeafe terminated in a fatal palfyi — the wife and 

 maid-fervant, who drank lefs, underwent fimilar 

 fy mptoms, but efcaped with life. 



It is high time that this, and the ftill more un- 

 pardonable abufe of wilfully adulterating cyder 

 with lead, fhould be wholly fupprcfledj — that an 

 enquiry fhould be fet on foot through all the cyder 

 diftridbs, that fuch pradlices may be deteded 

 wherever they exiftj and that the colick of Poitou 

 may no longer be emphatically ftiled the colick 

 ©f Devon, 



Milk and Cream.— The veffels of our modern 

 dairies confift chiefly of lead, or earthen- ware 

 glazed with a calx of that metal, both which are 

 liable to be corroded by weak acids, and oily fub- 

 ftanccs. Whether the milk and cream are fuf- 

 fered to remain in them long enough to acquire 

 an impregnation of the metal, has not been deter- 

 mined : but the acid odour which ftrikes the nof- 

 trils on entering certain dairies, efpecially in a warm 

 feafon, is at lead fufficient to excite fufpicion, and 



Vol, V. B b to 



