MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION RELATING TO FOOD ADULTER- 

 ATION. 



ADULTERATED BEER. 



The Indianapolis Eight and Freedom, of April 1, 1893, says that an 

 educated and wealthy German attributes American suicides to adul- 

 terated beer, and declares that the adulterants used "have a depress- 

 ing effect on the nervous system and dispose the subject to melan- 

 choly." Chemically pure beer will produce no such effect. It will be 

 remembered in this connection that Germany prohibits the use of 

 salicylic acid in beer to be used in the Fatherland, but allows its use 

 in beer made for export. 



POISONED BY TINNED BEEF. 



A family residing at Chelinsford partook of some American corned beef for break- 

 fast on the morning of Wednesday, March 27. The meat was observed to be slightly 

 moist on the surface and did not drop out of the tin readily. It is also stated that 

 the meat had a "spicy" flavor, as of thyme. The mother, who is an elderly lady, 

 about an hour and a half after breakfast complained of feeling giddy, and shortly 

 afterward persistent vomiting supervened, followed by cramps, spasms, and diar- 

 rhea. The father, son, daughter, and a maidservant were attacked shortly alter, 

 and for a time the life of the son was despaired of. All have now recovered. 

 Unfortunately the remaining meat was destroyed. This, of course, is to be regretted^ 

 as in all such cases the unconsumed portion should be reserved for chemical and 

 bacterilogical examination. When examined a few days later the under surface of 

 the tin was found to be corroded considerably more than was the case with the 

 other tins which had been kept a much longer time. In the scrapings of fat from 

 the side of the tin both lead and tin were detected by Dr. Thresh. The symptoms, 

 however, were undoubtedly those of ptomaine poisoning. American Analyst. 



THE RETAILER NOT ALWAYS TO BLAME. 



Here is proof positive that the Massachusetts Health Board prefers to bring cases 

 against the manufacturers and big houses rather than the retailers. Will the Mer- 

 chant's Review make a note of it? If we had a national food law what a scamper- 

 ing to get under cover there would be by the out-of-the-State frauds. Israel Renaud r 

 a wholesale grocer of Fall River, Mass., was arraigned in the district court on a. 

 charge of violating the food laws by selling maple sirup which had been adulterated 

 with glucose. State Inspector McCaffry and his assistant had purchased a can of 

 the sirup of a retail dealer. He informed them that he had purchased it of a Mr. 

 Renaud. The defense made a stubborn fight and contended that the goods were 

 marked as " compound'' and not sold as pure, but the court found the defendant 

 guilty and ordered him to pay a fine of $25 and costs. An appeal was taken and 

 the case will go to a higher court. American Analyst, June 1, 1893. 



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