THE ANALYST. 15 NOTES O F THE MONTH. The great violet powder question is still as far off settlement as ever, for on the one hand, we hare the Salford magistrates in quarter sessions assembled, solemnly declaring on the evidence of Dr. Redwood, that violet powder is anything which persons may choose to sell, while on the other, we have a London stipendiary magistrate holding on the statement of Dr.Bernajs, that violet powder is and should be only starch scentad with orris root. It appears to us, as independent spectators, that this ia just one of these cases, where, by a little judicious manipulation, the supreme Court may be induced to decide either way, and any number of scientific witnesses may be called on each side. To make our proposition clear, let ufi for a moment try to trace the real position of violet powder, at the date of the passing of the sale of Food and Drugs’ Act.The best evidence which can be had as to what this article should really be, is that of a respectable and qualified class of men like the pharmacists. Now it so happens that we have special opportunities of gathering the opinions of such men, and with the view of obtaining reliable data a8 to the recognised composition of this and other similarly mis-named articles, we have for some years been making the enquiry, (‘ How do JOU make violet powder?” and registering the result.This question has been put to nearly om thousand practical pharmacists, and the answers maj be summarised as follows :- Starch and orris root ... ... ... ... 70 per cent.Starch, orris root and various perfumes ... ... 6 ,, Starch, orris root and magnesia ... ... ... 20 )) French chalk ... ... ... ... 6 .. Starch, orris root, and French chalk, or magnesia and 100 per cent. It is thus perfectly clear, that, as really made by chemists themselves, the base of true violet powder is starch. But of late rears, since the advantage of advertising apparently cheap articles in packets has become evident, a class of houses have sprung up who make such packets and supply them extensively to oilmen, perfumers and others, not licensed chemists.This seriously interferes with the legitimate business of the pharmaoist, and he is, in certain districts, compelled in self-defence to vend such packets, as he cannot16 THE ANALYST.sell his own articles at the price for which these may be obtained from the oilmen. It is in the packet powder that the happy idea of vending purely mineral ingredients, such as sulphate of lime, selenite &c. has been developed, and the present fight is not between the true pharmacists and the authorities, but, between the producers of each articles and those who desire to see the legitimate preparation of the chemists maintained.It is therefore evident, that when requiring scientific evidence for the defence, such as that offered by Professor Redwood, it is simply necessary to collect and send to your witness packet powders only, and then he cannot help stating the fact, that sulphate of lime is the chief ingredient. On the other hand, let one hundred samples of violet powder be bought from chemists only, (not in packets, but of their own manufacture,) and submitted to the same analyst, and he would be obliged to tell a perfectly different tale in the witness box.The whole thing turns on the question, ought scented mineral powders in packets, sold by anyone, to be allowed to take the place in the public mind, of the article usually prepared by the chemists themselves, without compelling the adoption of some distinguishing title, such as ‘‘ mineral violet powder,’’ or, selenite dusting powder ’? ’’ We make these remarks, in order to show how difficult it is to have the honest facts of any case brought clearly before a Court of Law.Meantime we think it is a question, looking to the state of the present case, whether it is wise for analysts to give certificates without clearly stating that violet powder is at the moment an article entirely destitute of a true standard of purity.For their own sakes, some respectable pharmacists should combine and have a test case thoroughly argued and carried to the Supreme Court, by which means they might get rid of the packet incubus, so far as having a definite line of demarcation laid down between genuine violet powder prepared with starch, and mineral dusting powders, and then the rest must remain with the public themselves to choose between quality and price. We print a report of a case dismissed under the prejudice to purchaser quibble, which is interesting, as showing that our unsophisticated country dealers are quite as wide awake as the London purveyors of milk.Mr. Samuel Tummon must be looked upon with the greatest respect, as a man who has deeply studied his subject, and calls chemistry to his aid, by adding t o his milk a solution of sugar, having exactly the specific gravity of the genuine article. Henceforth, the sign of the scientific milkman should contain the notice, (‘ Dairy Laboratory entrance next door ! ” The butter case at Bath (reported in our legal columns) must be looked upon as an immense step in the right direction, for we have here a definite standard of 19 por cent.as the amount of water in butter laid down by the lnland Revenue Chemists, and henceforth, analysts and the appeal chemists will be in accord on this point. It is a strong argument in favour of the idea, that one of the most beneficial amendments which could be made in the Act, would be an instruction to the Central Authorities to issue from time to time a set of standards to all.They have at Somerset House the necewary staff and time to verify the standards already fixed by our Society, and we are sure that all analysts would be only to glad to accept them, when so verified, and so avoid differences of opinion, which are always to be deplored.THE ANALYST.17 To show how close the analysis of a public analyst and that of the Somerset Bouse Chemists can run, even when one sample has been kept: some time before analysis, we give side by side the figures of both analysts in this case, Mr. Gatehouse. Meesrs. Bell, Helm, and Lewin.Water ... ... 25.00 23- 7 Salt ... ... a88 -78 Curd ... ... 1’16 1.26 Butter Fat ... ... 72.96 74.69 100~00 100~00 - - It is thus obvious that given a publication of standards such as that already invited by the Society of Public Analysts, the disagreements between them and Somerset Rouse, which still occasionally occur, would be a t an end for ever. The Brewers’ Guardian reminds us of Bret Harte’s heathen Chinee.We can picture the smile of innocence, “ child-like and bland,” which adorned the countenance of the respected Editor of that excellent publication, when he wrote the following :- ‘( The Adulteration Act having become a dead letter in consequence of the decision of the Court of Queen’s Bench upon the ‘‘ prejudice ” question, we may naturally expect some alteration in the law next session.Three hundred years ago the authorities in various towns took steps to ensure a supply of pure ale and beer to the public ; in those days there were no public analysts, but the officials were called ‘ ale- tasters.’ In 1529 the Mayor of Guildford ordered that the brewers make a good useful ale, that they sell none until it be tasted by the ale-taster.’ These officials had to take the following oath :--‘You are chosen ale-tasters of this town.You shall well and truly serve his Majesty and this town, in the same office. You shall at all times try, taste and assize the beer and ale to be put to sale in this liberty, whether the same be wholesome for man’s body, and present those that offend, or refuse to suffer you to assay it.You shall give your attendance at all courts, and present from time to time the offenders, and all things else belonging to your office you shall do and execute. The records do not tell UB whether the ‘prejudice’ ,question was raised in those days. This practice of ‘ale-testing’ is still in existence in some places at the present time. For instance, we read in a contemporary that at the annual court leet of the Earl Bathurst at Cirencester the other day, Messrs.Harding and Kitton, the ‘ ale-tasters,’ asked to be relieved from their office, on the ground that they were getting old men, and wished someone else to take their places. They handed in a certiticate which set forth that the ‘ ale and beer has been better this year than last, and they consider it to be in fair condition,’ &c.They stated that they had held their office for two years, and during that period they declared they had done their duty a~ ‘ale-tasters’ most conscientiously. Thia being the case, and the ale being so good, Messrs. Harding and Kitton were reappointed. r e are disposed to think that the quality andpzcrity of beer would be quite a8 we22 sustained by such ‘ ale-tasters * as by the system of local insgeetors, analysts, and others, provided for in recent Acts of Parliament.“ No doubt, Mr.Brewer, you would like to return to the middle ages, and so be able to ( l improve ” your beer and to make it agreeable to the palate, without the interference of such an impertinent and obtrusive science as chemistry, to tell the public how you do it.So help you God.’ We thank our friend for his capital little piece of ingenuousness. So as to shorn the superiority of the old processes adopted by the ‘‘ ale-tasters,” we give a curious piece of information, which we once came across while reading up ancient food customs in the Library of the British Huseum. I t seems, that in common with most persons, the ale-tasters ” wore leather breeches, and when they went to test the ale for the presence of sugar, a pint of the fluid was spilt upon a well-cleaned bench, and the taster sat upon the same till it dried.If on rising, the leather continuations18 THE ANALYST. stuck to the bench, then sugar was present, but if not, the beer was pure. This is a specimen of the ancient accuracy of manipulation, to which the Brewers’ Gw&ian would fain return! Our readers will peruse with interest the paper by Mr.Thomson, on the peculiar ferment produced in yolk of egg by the morbid growth of bioplasm. We sincerely hope that the New Year will not only prove a happy and prosperous one to our subscribers, but also a scientifically profitable one, during which, they will each turn their attention to some point in the analysis of food and drugs, and by sending us their results, advance the great sanitary cause in which we are all fellow-workers. Many a little makes a muckle, s a p the Scotch proverb, and no new light thrown on any process, but will find welcome to our columns.We wonder what can have been the state of mind of that student who, at a recent examination at one of our hospitals, in answer to the question, ‘‘ Explain the difference between the chemical and physical properties of matter, and give one or two examples in illustration,” gave the following gem of an answer : -‘( The differences between these two properties of matter are, I may venture to say, enumerable (sic); first, one possessm life, heat, organs, structure, and various others; the other is lifdess, without heat or organs, structureless.Another difference is in the appearance. Example :-Animals a mere composition-live in a higher state-of physical matter presenta a most striking contrast to water, though the same chemical elements which enter into the combination of water forms by far the greater part of animal composit.ion.” RECENT CHEMICAL PATENTS.The following specifications hare been published during the past month, and can be obtained from the Great Seal Office, Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, London. 1878. Name of Patentoe. Title of Patent. Prlce. NO. 1761 H. J. Haddan ... ... ... ... Treating Wool, Silk, t c . ... ... .., ... 2d. 1800 J. Holden ... ... ... .., Receptacles for Storing Liquids ..... ... 4d. 18.35 M. M. Prager ... ... ... ... Manufacture of Leaven or Yeast ... ... ... 4d. 1874 F. J. Cheesborough ... ... ... Manufacture of Sulphate of Lime ... ... ... 4d. 1889 A. R. Molison ... ... .,. ... Lighting Gas Jets by Electricity . ... ... ... 2d. 1894 H. E. Newton ... ... .. ... Dyeing Animal Substances ... ... ... ,., 2d. 1901 J. F. Farquhar and J. B. Macfarlane ... Treatment and Purification of Sugar ... ... 6d. 1943 W. Browne ... ... ... ... Manufacture of Silicate Cotton Cloth ... ... 6& 2062 C. Graham ... ... .. ... ERecting the Fermentation of Solutions Capable of Yielding Alcohol ... .. . ... ... ... 6d. 2106 R. Martin ... ... ... ... Manufacture of Gas ... ... ... ... ... 6d. 3260 H. Wilde ... ... ... ... ... Producing and Regulating Electric Light ... ... 6d. 3804 J. F. Bailey ... ... ... ... Speaking Telephones ... ... ... ... 6d. BOOKS, &c., RECEIVED. The Chemist and Druggist; The Brewere’ Guardian; The British Nedical Journal; The Medical Examiner ; The Medical Times and Gazette ; The Pharmaceutical Journal ; The Sanitary Record ; The Miller ; The Anti-Adulteration Review ; Journal of Applied Science ; The Boston Journal of Chemistry ; !l!he Dairyman ; The lmericaii Dairyman ; The Practitioner ; Bapley’s Chemist’s Pocket Book ; The Uoase Surgeon, or the Doctor at Home ; Manual of Practical Chemistry, by A. W. Blpth.