106 On certain fraudulent 



nerally adulterated with red lead. Other kinds of sweetmeats are 

 sometimes rendered poisonous by being coloured with prepara- 

 tions of copper. The following account of Mr. Miles* may be 

 advanced in proof of this statement: 



" Some time ago, while residing in the house of a confectioner, 

 I noticed the colouring of the green fancy sweetmeats being done 

 by dissolving sap-green in brandy. Now sap-green itself, as pre- 

 pared from the juice of the buckthorn berries, is no doubt a harm- 

 less substance ; but the manufacturers of this colour have for 

 many .years past produced various tints, some extremely bright, 

 which there can be no doubt are effected by adding preparations 

 of copper. 



*' The sweetmeats which accompany these lines you will find 

 exhibit vestiges of being contaminated with copper. — The prac- 

 tice of colouring these articles of confectionary siiould, therefore, 

 be banished; the proprietors of which are not aware of the dele- 

 terious quality of the substances employed by them." 



The foreign conserves, such as small green limes, citrons, hop- 

 tops, plums, angelica roots, &c. imported into this country, and 

 usually sold in round chip boxes, are frequently impregnated with 

 copper. 



The adulteration of confitures by means of clay, may be de- 

 tected by simply dissolving the comfits in a large quantity of 

 boiling water. The clay, after suffering the mixture to stand un- 

 disturbed for a few days, will fall to the bottom of the vessel ; and 

 on decanting the clear fluid, and suffering the sediment to be- 

 come dry gradually, it may be obtained in a separate state. If 

 the adulteration has been effected by means of clay, the obtained 

 precipitate, on exposure to a red heat in the bowl of a common 

 tobacco-pipe, acquires a brick hardness. 



The presence of copper may be detected by pouring over the 

 comfits liquid ammonia, which speedily acquires a blue colour, if 

 this metal be present. The presence of lead is rendered obvious 

 by water impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, acidulated 

 with muriatic acid, which assumes a dark brown or black colour, 

 if lead be present. 



Poisonous Catsup, — This article is very often subjected to one 

 of the most reprrihensible modes of adulteration ever devised. 

 Quantities are daily to be met with, which, on a chemical exa- 

 mination, are found to abound with copper. Indeed, this con- 

 diment is often nothing else than the residue left behind after the 

 process employed for obtaining distilled vinegar, subsequently 

 diluted with a decoction of the outer green husk of the walnut, 

 and seasoned with all-spice, Cayenne pepper, pimento, onions, 

 and common salt. 



• Phil. Mag. No. 268, vol. liv. 1819, p. 317- 



The 



