33 

 From N. C. Twombly, M. D., Geuter Stratford, N. H. 



Almost all the whisky and some drugs are adulterated. For instance, I purchased 

 1 gallon of alcohol for 95 per cent and it was only 55 per cent on testing when I 

 got home. 



Some of our flour is adulterated more or less, with a certain kind of earth that 

 comes from the South,* 



NEW JERSEY. 



From Prof. August Drescher, chemist of the State Board of Health, 

 Newark, N. J. : 



I have examined five samples of butter since last summer, three of which were 

 genuine, two of cotton-oil composition. 



The general condition of milk in our city for the past year has been, in my experi- 

 ence, good, most of the samples examined by me showing over 12.5 per cent total 

 solids, many of them even over 13 per cent. This excludes a number of samples 

 which were undoubtedly adulterated, i. e., either watered or skimmed, or both. 



It has occurred twice in my recent experience that the surfaces of cheese packed 

 in tin foil contained notable quantities of lead, which I consider dangerous, these 

 parts of the cheeses being generally eaten, as well as the inner portions, into which 

 the invasion of the lead has not extended. Both these samples were Limburger 

 cheese. Out of a number of Limburger cheese samples I also discovered one which 

 gave the <; murexide reaction, 77 indicative of the employment of urine for " ripening" 

 the cheese. I had heard of this dirty practice, but not believing the story made 

 tests of some samples to get evidence or prove the popular belief to be unfounded. 



Children's nursing nipples and fittings, tubings, etc., of India rubber of our mar- 

 ket are mostly weighted with minerals. Thus I have found the white India rubber 

 articles loaded with zinc oxide, which forms poisonous salts not intended for 

 infants' stomachs. 



Dried apples have come to my attention which contain zinc ; one sample also 

 copper. 



Laudanum, especially that sold by grocers (unlawfully, only registered pharma- 

 cists in our State having the privilege to sell such poisonous drugs), of our market 

 is, in most cases, deficient in morphine strength. I have also found the essence of 

 peppermint, essence of ginger, vanilla, Hoffman's anodyne, especially the articles 

 put up for grocers' use, to be of very inferior quality. One sample of mustard 

 powder, sold at 15 cents per pound, proved to be a mixture containing chromate of 

 lead, chalk (or whiting), Spanish pepper, and Indian meal, together with some real 

 mustard. 



Seidlitz powders of deficient weight are. in spite of all legislation, openly sold at 

 the present day. 



NEW YORK. 



From A. M. Hodge, druggist, Canajoharie, N. Y. : 



A little coloring matter prepared from annotto is used somewhat early in the 

 season to give butter a golden tinge, but no other adulterations are practiced that 

 I know of. 



The New York City Health Keport for 1891, p. 183, states: 



The total number of slaughtered animals in New York City for 1891 was 3,107,939, 

 which weighed 533,660,595 pounds. This immense amount of food consisted only of 

 cattle, hogs, sheep and lambs and calves. In addition the amount of live and dressed 

 poultry, dressed beef, sheep, hogs, and calves amounted to 483,624,900 pounds. Over 

 300,000 pounds more of meat were seized by the inspectors in 1891 than in 1890, 

 including 60,000 pounds more of "bob" veal. 



* This is doubtless a mistake. H. W. W. 



413 



