Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee, 1884. 367 
Linseed- 
cake. 
Decorticated 
Cotton-calie. 
Oil.. 
*Albuminou8 compounds 
Mucilage, &c 
13-73 
10-07 
21-66 
37-87 
8-93 
7-74 
7-34 
15-50 
41-43 
25-31 
2-93 
7-49 
x\j\) UU 
3-46 
3-20 
6-62 
Further enquiries about the linseed-cake showed that two 
tons had been purchased at 9/. 10s. per ton, and invoiced as 
" Burkitt's Pure," from Messrs. W. and S. Burkitt, Chesterfield. 
After complaining about the cake, Mr. Mellish wrote on 
December 4th : — 
" I may say that the cake was sold to me as pure, and this word appears 
in the invoice, and is stamped on the cake. The manufacturer, however, 
now tells me that it is made from ' linseed as imported,' and that he does not 
profess ,to guarantee it to be 95 per cent, pure, which he tells me is the 
standard of purity which you adopt." 
And subsequently : — 
" Hodsock Priory, Worksop, December 6th, 1884. 
" LiusEED Cake, No. 1608. 
" Dear Sie, — Your letter of the 5th is to hand. My only object in waiting 
was, that I thought it more fair to the manufacturer to give him an opportu- 
nity of offering any explanation he could ; but as the committee meets so soon, 
I enclose the particulars you require. I may add, that I was not aware who 
were the manufacturers previous to receiving your report. The letter of 
August 11 refers to a previous lot of cake of the same brand. The cakes 
have "Burkitt's Pure "stamped on them. You will observe that what I 
mentioned in my last letter about the cake being made from "Linseed as 
imported" and not being up to 95 per cent., is merely what the manufacturer 
has told me since receiving your report, and that I had heard nothing of it 
previously. He also mentioned that they made a purer cake, guaranteed 95 
per cent., at a higher price. In fact, I understand his contention to be, that 
" pure " is a trade term for " linseed as imported," though he admitted that 
your analysis showed the sample to be of very inferior quality. I should add 
that both vendor and manufacturer seem anxious for a full investigation and 
have offered to make pecuniary satisfaction. Kindly return the invoice when 
you have done with it. — Yours truly, 
"Henby Mellish." 
" P.S. — Sunday Morning. — Since writing the above I have received a letter 
from Messrs. Burkitt enclosing analysis made by Mr. Penny, of Hull, of 
another sample taken from the same lot of cake, last Wednesday, copy of 
which I append. They also offer to allow me 10s. per ton on the cake." 
