and poisonous Sophistications. 109 



the sudden death of two women, in Dublin, after drinking some 

 of the common distilled cherry laurel water, demonstrated its de- 

 leterious nature. 



Poiso7ious Anchovy Sauce.— Several samples which we have 

 examined of this fish sauce, have been found contaminated with 



lead. 



The mode of preparation of this fish-sauce, consists m rubbmg 

 down the broken anchovy in a mortar: and this triturated mass, 

 being of a dark brown colour, receives, without much risk of de- 

 tection, a certain quantity of Venetian red, added for the purpose 

 of colouring it, which, if genuine, is an innocent colouring sub- 

 stance : but instances have occurred of this pigment having been 

 adulterated with orange lead, which is nothing else than a better 

 kind of minium, or red oxide of lead. The fraud may be de- 

 tected, as stated p. 107. 



The conscientious oilmen, less anxious with respect to colour, 

 substitute for this poison the more harmless pigment, called Ar- 

 menian bole. 



The following recipe for making this fish-sauce is copied from 

 Gray's Supplement to the Pharmacopoeias, p. 241. 



"Anchovies, 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. and a half ; pulp through a fine 

 hair sieve; boil the bones with common salt, 7 oz. in water 6 lbs ; 

 strain ; add flour 7 oz. and the pulp of the fish ; boil ; pass the 

 whole through the sieve ; colour with Venetian red to your fancy. 

 It should produce I gallon." 



Adulteration of Mustard. — Genuine mustard, either in pow- 

 der, or in the state of a paste ready for use, is pprhai)s rarely to 

 be met with in the shops. The article sold under the name of 

 genuine Durham mustard, is usually a mixture of mustard and 

 common wheaten flour, with a portion of Cayenne pepper, and 

 a large quantity of bay salt, made with water into a paste, ready 

 for use. Some manufacturers adulterate their mustard with ra- 

 dish seed and pease flour. 



It has often been stated, that a fine yellow colour is given to 

 mustard by means of turmeric. We doubt the truth of tills as- 

 sertion. The presence of the minutest quantity of turmeric may 

 instantly be detected, by adding to the mustard a few drops of a 

 solution' of potash, or any other alcali, which changes the bright 

 yellow colour, to a brown or deep orange tint. 



Two ounces and a half of Cayenne pepper, 1 Ub. of bay salt, 

 81I)s. of mustard flour, and \\ lb. of wheaten flour, made into a 

 stiff paste, with the requisite (juantity of water, in which the bay 

 salt is previouslv dissolved, forms the sp-called genuine Durham 

 mustard, sold iii pots. The salt and Cayenne pepper contribute 

 iiiateriallv to the keeping of ready-made mustard. 



•^ There 



