no 
ADULTERATION OF FOOD. NO. 10- 
pjace it wherever he may please. A house of this 
description, constructed of bricks, has great merit ; 
but I cannot go further in the details of this highly 
important subject on this occasion. The whole 
is fully and elaborately discussed in my "Manual" 
of 349 pages about to be issued from the press, the 
character of which has not been overrated. I have 
concluded an arrangement with one of the most ex- 
tensive publishing houses in Broadway, to forward 
the plates to England, for the purpose of appearing 
there, simultaneously with its publication here. 
T. B. Miner. 
New York, Feb. 15th, 1849. 
ADULTERATION OF FOOD.— No. 10. 
Catchup. — The article imported under the name 
of u walnut catchup" is usually strongly impreg- 
nated with the salts of copper. In fact, this con- 
diment is often nothing else than the residue left 
after the process employed for obtaining distilled vin- 
egar, subsequently diluted with a decoction of the 
outer, green bark of the English walnut, (Madeira 
nut,) and seasoned with allspice, Cayenne pepper, 
onions, and common salt. 
When catchup, or indeed any sauce, is prepared by 
boiling in a copper or brass vessel, it invariably re- 
tains traces, and even large proportions of copper 
on the one hand, and of copper and zinc on the 
other, both of which, to a greater or less extent, 
are dangerous in use. Thus, in making walnut 
catchup, the outer green shell of the nut, or the 
juice of the same, is usually boiled in a copper vessel 
after having been suffered to turn black, by expo- 
sure to the air in combination with common salt, 
with anchovies, garlic, shalotes, cloves, allspice, 
mace, pepper, ginger, horseradish, vinegar, &c, the 
produce of which must always be contaminated 
with metallic salts. The only method by which 
this evil can be avoided, is to have the inner sur- 
face of the copper employed well tinned, or to use 
salt-glazed earthen vessels, or those made of iron 
properly enamelled within. 
At present, both mushroom and walnut catchup, 
are manufactured in a similar manner ; and in many 
instances, the former is often adulterated with from 
one fourth to two thirds of the latter. In fact, 
many of the articles imported and sold in this 
country under the names of walnut and mushroom 
catchup, consists of a heterogenous mixture of all 
kinds of materials that are convertible into the 
semblance of catchup. 
Olive Oil. — The adulteration olive or salad oil is 
generally subject to, is the addition of nut oil, oil 
of poppies, lard oil, and other animal or vegetable 
oils of inferior quality and price. Sometimes it 
contains a poisonous admixture of lead or zinc, 
which is accidentally derived from some of the ves- 
sels employed in its manufacture, as is practiced in 
Spain, by suffering the oil to become clear in leaden 
easterns before it is brought to market for sale. 
Olive oil, it is well known, is the product from 
the pulp of the fruit of the olive, and when pure, 
is slightly yellow, or greenish yellow, (more espe- 
cially when new,) very fluid, slightly odorous, and 
possesses a soft and agreeable taste. It is one 
of the least changeable of oils, but when not care- 
fully made, soon becomes rancid, and then pos- 
sesses a very disagreeable taste and smell. If pure, 
when shaken in a vial only half filled, the " bead," 
or bubbles, rapidly disappear; but if adulterated 
with poppy or nut oil, they continue longer before 
they burst. Olive oil is also completely congealed 
when cooled by ice : but the oil of poppies remains 
partly liquid, even when it forms less than one 
fourth of the bulk ; and nut oil, the extract of the 
kernel of the Madeira nut, (Juglans regia^ is still 
more easily detected, as it does not solidify before 
it reaches a temperature of 16° below zero of 
Fahrenheit's scale. As the specific gravity of 
olive oil is less than either that of nut oil or that 
of the oil of poppies, its density will accordingly 
be increased in proportion to the adulteration of the 
two last named. 
The addition of lard oil can easily be detected by 
the taste and smell, particularly when the suspected 
article is heated, or slightly burnt over a brisk fire. 
• 
THE OOW-HER DISEASES AND MANAGEMENT. 
No, 11. 
Blain, or Blistered Tongue. — This disease gene- 
rally prevails during the months of March, April, 
and May. Its attacks are most frequent with cows 
which have been brought in lean and low in condi- 
tion, and have begun to thrive and get into a better 
state. It also comes on when the weather is some- 
what variable, as those days which are alternated 
with sunshine and storms, or showers of rain or 
snow. 
The malady evidently proceeds from too great a 
fullness of the arteries, by which too great a quan- 
tity of blood is determined to the head of the ani- 
mal, as well as to the whole external parts. Hence 
the regular circulation is altered, and a state of 
stagnation is produced in the various parts of the 
body. 
The first symptoms that show themselves are a 
swelling of the eyes and eyelids, as well as of the 
fundament, " shape," udder, and teats, all of which 
assume, more or less, a purple appearance. In the 
progress of the disease, the distress of the animal is 
so great, that she opens her mouth wide, extending 
her tongue out of it to the utmost stretch, from 
which issues a considerable quantity of watery and 
frothy fluid. On examing the tongue, a large blis- 
ter generally appears on its under side, and the in- 
side of the mouth sometimes assumes a purplish hue. 
When the disease advances to this height, the 
whole of the skin acquires a similar state of swell- 
ing as that described in the tongue, from the rapid 
determination of the blood to the surface. Indeed, 
the body of the cow, when touched, sometimes 
feels quite moist, and the roots of the hair become 
surfeited with blood. 
This malady is considered as highly dangerous, 
if not timely remedied and diligently attended to. 
The first and most certain means of relief is copious 
bleeding ; and if performed on the first attack, the 
cure may be considered as certain. At this stage 
of the disease, a common fleam will be sufficient 
for the operation, and a quantity of blood not less 
than two or three quarts may be taken away. By 
this discharge, the symptoms of the swelling will 
abate in every part of the body ; but if the opera- 
tion has been delayed till the disease has gained 
ground, the lancet, or a sharp-pointed knife must 
be used, which it will often be necessary to 
