SPICES AND CONDIMENTS. 



137 



that be agrees with the opinion expressed by Dr. Leeds, of New Jersey, 

 in his report of 1880 to the New Jersey State board of health, that 

 there has been much sensational writing upon the subject. This is per- 

 haps the case with some few writers of that stamp, but it can have done 

 no harm, for it has not produced sufficient effect upon the public to ere. 

 ate a demand for any purer spices, as appears from the figures of Dr. 

 E. S. Wood in 1882, who reports in regard to the samples he examined 

 as analyst of foods for Massachusetts : 



This is nearly as serious a condition as was found in Canada, but again, 

 in 1885, Dr. Wood reports: 



The above is little or no improvement. He found the common adul- 

 terants of mustard to be flour, turmeric, and sometimes a little cayenne. 

 Cloves suffered from extraction of the volatile oil and the addition of 

 clove stems, allspice, burnt shells, and other cheap substances. Cassia 

 contained ground shells and crackers; ginger was in many cases col- 

 ored, and in some instances wheat and corn flour and clove stems were 

 present. Allspice is too cheap to be often adulterated, but in eight 

 samples mustard hulls, grnmd shells, clove stems, and cracker dust 

 were found. In mace, flour and cornmeal were diluents, and for the 

 peppers, crackers, mustard hulls, pepper dirt, powdered charcoal, rice, 

 corn, and buckwheat. 



Under the New York law of 1881, Prof. S. A. Lattioaore investigated 

 a number of spices and spice mixtures submitted to him. 



Professor Lattimore's report furnishes abundant proof in support of 

 the common impression regarding the adulteration of spices. 



