1038 



FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



possibly from the soldering tools, were nearly always present, but were 

 not estimated. All the solders examined were taken from the interior 

 of the can, and were all from the pea samples. 



Lead in solder from inside of can. 



It will be noticed that none of these samples approaches the German 

 limit of JO per cent. They are evidently "half and half" solder. It is 

 said by the trade, however, that a 10 per cent solder is extremely diffi- 

 cult to use, owing to its infusibility. The German canners use it in 

 compliance with the law, but dislike it and are resorting to many de- 

 vices to avoid exposed solder. One way of doing this is to varnish the 

 inside of the can and put on the top with a rubber joint. 1 



LEAD-TOPPED BOTTLES. 



Several of the French samples were packed in glass bottles closed by 

 a lead top. In view of the fact that the only assignable reason for the 

 preference of bottles over the ordinary tin can is to avoid all danger of 

 metallic contamination of food, this practice is a most extraordinary 

 one. Sample No. 10885 may serve as an example of this method of 

 packing. This bottle bore the inscription " Petit pois, extra fins, Dan- 

 dicolle & Gaudin, Limited, Bordeaux, France," and cost 40 cents. The 

 bottle itself was an ordinary white glass bottle with the top ground oft'. 

 The cover was formed of a piece of sheet lead, fastened around the neck 

 by an iron band. There was nothing whatever in the way of protec- 

 tion between the lead and the peas. Probably the packers went oh 

 the assumption that the bottle was not likely to get wrongside up dur- 

 ing its travels from France to this country and thought the precaution 

 superfluous. On analysis the metal was found to consist of 93.57 per 

 cent lead and G.43 per cent tin. Strangely enough the contents of the 

 bottle were found to be almost five from lead. Copper there was in 

 plenty, but little lead. Samples Nos. 10738, "haricots verts;" 10978, 

 mace'doine; J097!>, Brussels sprouts; and 11140, asparagus, were all bot- 

 tled by the same linn in a similar manner. Samples Nos. 10879, peas, 

 and 10936, u haricots verts," were packed by Eugene l)u Kaix, also of 

 Bordeaux, and were put up in a similar fashion. 



' See pugo 1163. 



