19 



adulterated in London and least in the country. Butter most in 

 large towns, less in London, least in country. 

 Groceries, in London, 8"48 "/„; large towns, 678; country, 13*15 

 Drugs „ 6-f) „ 21-7 „ 33 



Wine and spirits „ 6-09 „ 23-97 „ 22-1 



Bread and flour „ 2-55 „ 6'07 „ 7'5 



Another point to which attention was particularly called was 

 that, in any particular district, the per centage of adulteration 

 varied according to the activity with which the law was put in 

 motion. Thus, if in any quarter a large number of samples was 

 analysed, in the next quarter the per centage of adulteration 

 very much decreased, while, if but few samples were taken, 

 the next quarter always showed an increased per centage of 

 adulteration, proving that adulteration could not be really 

 stamped out, but only kept down by a vigorous working of 

 the law. The author also expressed his regxet that the public 

 were so little inclined to help themselves in the matter. Li- 

 spectors were such well known people it was often difficult for 

 them to obtain samples of any but pure articles, but the public, 

 though willing enough to complain of bad articles, shrank from 

 the trouble of summoning a tradesman who had sold them any 

 such. 



He then briefly touched on one or two of the principal 

 adulterations, many of which were most easily detected by the 

 microscope, and, of course, required, on the part of the analyst, 

 a good knowledge of the articles employed as adulterants. One 

 thing which involved an application of a very scientific process, 

 he wished particularly to show them. Great difficulty had been 

 for years experienced in determining if red wines were coloured 

 by the juice of the grape or by logwood, magenta, &c., &c. 



Dr. Dupre pointed out that almost all the articles usually 

 used to colour red win«s were of a crystaline character, and that, 

 therefore, dialysis might be employed to detect their presence. 

 Without going into a regular process of dialysis, which would 

 require the use of large quantities of wine to be satisfactory, he 

 found that immersing in the wine a cube of about one inch in 

 the side (made by dissolving gelatine in hot water, letting it set, 

 and cutting it into cubes with a sharp wet knife), if any crystaline 

 body were present, in about 12 hom-s the cube would be colom-ed 



