168 THE ANALYST. NOTES O F THE MONTH. MILKMEN appear to think that analysts belong to the same category as detectives, and that for a consideration they may be induced to depart from the strict line which their duty lays out for them. We do not suppose that Dr. Bernays went quite so far as the paragraph in the Tinzes, states as to throw away the coin with which Nr. Kirkham presented him, but it is clear that notwithstanding the tender of half a sovereign, which of course he indignantly refused, Dr.Bcrnays found that Rlr. Kirkham’s milk was adulterated, and in consequence Mr. Partridge fined the latter person $10 and costs. It is perhaps rather significant, and may scrre as a warning t o other peccant milkmen, if we point out that two more of the fraternity were summoned a t the same time for a similar offence, but not having attempted to bribe the analyst, were only fined 40s.each. On the whole it must have been rather an expensive morning’s work for Mr. Kirkham, and we can only hope that he was satisfied with it. The analysts at Somersct House seem to have an irresistible tendency to over- estimate everything. They have already succeeded in finding ‘78 per cent.of ash in milk where several other annljsts could only find -72 ; they have also in eeyeral cases found more milk in a mixture of milk and water than any experienced analyst pitted against them could find, and now thcy have caFpcd their work by finding 13 grains of alum per 4-lb. loaf where three public analysts, who presumably had had ten-fold thcir experience, had only succeeded in finding 10 grains.Really it looks as if they lired in such a cloud of smoke a t Somerset House that the ashes must drop into their crucibles and make the results heavier. Gin cases are going on all over t’he country, and conTictions are most frequently obtained ; and thc publicans, we are glad to see, are adopting the common sense mode of labelling their bottles as a mixture of dilute spirit, but this, although a step in theTHE ANALYST.169 right direction is not sufficient ; they must not only say it is diluted but what the degree of dilution is. There can be no possible reason why a publican should get off free whilst a milkman is fined for a similar offence. Mr. Plirnsoll, N.P., appcm t o have taken a fancy to teetotal meetings, and has been reviving the fallacies which Lord Truro publishcd in the Times a few weeks since, that the irijarious effect of stimulants is caused inaiilly by the adulterants which arc added to them.It is a great pity that a man who has done a really good work in a special line which he has laid out for himself should trespass upou matters about which he knows nothing, and should therefore uiake such mistakes as are contained in his recent speech at Derby.As to salt in Seer our readci*s will remember what Re said last month about it, and soac will probably be prepared for the sequel. The beer from a number of public-houses in one of the London districts, which for the last three years has averaged less than 15 grains of salt per gallon, has since the recent certificate of Messrs.Bell, Bannister & Co., suddenly increased to from 65 to ’75 grains per gnllon. Wc are quite sure our readers will view with satisfaction the statemcnt that one o€ these adulterators was summoned and fined, but did not think it worth while to appeal t o Somerset House, because when his wife was put into the witness-box she acknowledged having thrown a handful of salt into the barrel of beer. This case is an illustration of the necessity for the amendment of the Act of Parliament to the extent of making the publication of the convictions com- pulsory. At present the payment of a fee is sometimes, as in this case, sufficient to prevent such a misdemeanour from becoming known to the public unless we publish it.It is clear that some change in the lam is necessary.I t is pleasant to note that the German Government are following in the wake of our own, and are about to introduce into their Parliament a Bill for preventing the adultera- tion of food and drugs, and also that they recognise the services which our Society has already rendered in the matter by sending their Commissioner to us first for information.The facts elicited in the discussions which have already taken place will help greatly towards the adoption of the amendments suggested by our Society in the present Act and which will be introduced in the Bill to be brought forward nest session, and not the least important of these i s the confiscation and destruction in certain cases of adulterated articles. We have received several letters with reference t o the question of salt in beer, but have not space to refer to the matterfully this month.We were not aware that the schedule of the Licensing Act was still in force, but from the following quotation it nppears it is. The chemical waters arc! again troubled by analytical disturbances, and several journals have rather gone out of their may to dcscribc the matter in question as 6 i analytical discrepancies.” This is scarcely a fair designation, as will be seen from the facts, which may be thus briefly ect forth.Mr. Gatehouse fouud in a sample of Burton beer 68 grains of common salt to the gallon, while the report from the laboratory at Somerset House shows the presence of 66.5 grains to the gallon, but goes on to say that “the strong Burton beers contain about GO grains of common salt per gallon, solely derived from the water, malt, and hops used.” Now, as regards the analj sis the discrepancy is not very dreadful, but objection may and has been taken against thc additional statement which is quoted abnve.I t is not probable that the water, malt, and hops would furnish so much salt, and this has been placed beycnd doubt by subsequent work couducted by Mr.Gatehouse. The Licensing Act allows the presence of 50 grains of common salt to the gallon of beer, to cover the quantities introduced int:, beer from the sourccs stated ; hence anything above that amount is tairly vicwed as evidence of adulteration. The squabble to which allusion has been made would have been avoided had the Somerset House analysts restricted themselves to the bare analysis.It was anact uT bupererogation to make the additional statement which caube(! the $riel mcc. If analytical and170 THE ANALYST. consulting chemists generally in giving certificates confined themselves more particularly to the facts of their invostigations, and abstained from going into hypothetical reacons and expressing opinions of qualities and things, and instituting cornparisone, such certificates would be less offensive to a healthy professional mind, and admit less of malconstruction or abuse.-~~armaceutioaZ Journal.THE DILUTION o r GIru.-At a meeting of licensed victuallers and wine and spirit merchants, held ycstcrday at York, to consider the recent decisions in refercnce to the adulteration of gin with water, a letter was read from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, stating that it was impossible for him to say just yet \\hat could be done with regard to the subject.The question of the reduction of the strength of gin Ly \vater was not a revenue matter. The Local Gorernment Board were now, he believed, consulting the Inland Revenue Department, and the whole subject would be fully discussed, with a view to determipe whether any legislation mas practicable or desirable.-Eueizing Standavd.The prize offered by the Leipzig Pharmaceutical Association for a trustworthy methsd of butter analysis, has been awarded to Otto Hehner, F.C.S., Public Analyst for the 1.1~ of Wight, and Arthur Allgel], F.R.M.S., Public Analyst for the county of Hants.As one of the stipulations, namely, that the guccessful essay should become the exclusive property of the hsociation could not be fulfilled by Itessrs. Uehner & Angell, their method having teen published some jears ago, and as the examiners, Professors Heintz, Knop & Kohlmann, yet wished to show their appreciation of the method, they presented the Authors with the sum of 150 marks.Mr. Wm. Fredk. Donkin, F.C.S., has becn appointed Public Analyst for the T3orougll Mi-. J. A. Woodhams, has been appointed Public Analyst for Rye, Susscs, in the of Abingdon. place of Nr. W. A. Smith resigned. 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.1 S i O . Nnino of Patentee. so. 11 71 J. Coquillion . . . . . . 1186 F. A. Bonnefin . . . . . . 1219 J. H. Bald . . . . . . . . . 1300 J. C. Martin . . . . . . 1309 H. A. Bonneville . . . . . . 13.27 P. A. E. Bremond . . . . . . 1368 D. Whitehouse . . . . . . 1392 T. J. Smith . . . . . . . . . 1396 G, 11. Fish .. ... 1402 1405 J.Jackson and T. R. Mellar R. S. Best and R. 1\Iorris ... 1414 J. Eckart . . . . . . . . . 1462 J. Livesey . . . . . ... 1465 J. Hollowa . . . . . . 1536 13. B. Con& . . . . . . 15.56 ITr. L. mise . . . . . . . . . 1663 E. L. Xlayer . . . . . . 1618 F. M. Kalbfleisch . . . . . . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .*. ... ... Title of Patent. Price. Carburometer for Analyzing Carburets, &c.Utilizing Residual and other Oxides of lron . . . . . . . . . . . . Extracting and Treating Juice from Sugar Canes, &c. Manufacture of White Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . Hydraulic Press for separating Liquids from Solid Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . Medicated Bath’ Apparaks . . . . . . . . . . . . Pickling Sheet Iron for Manufacture of Tin and Terne Plate .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apparatus for Compressing Air . . . . . . . . . Sulphates of Sodium and Potassium . . . . . . . . . Evaporating Liquids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Filters for Water and . . . . . . . . . . . . Production of Metallic Silicides . . . . . . . . . Manufacture of Soda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Separating Silyer from Cuprerous Solutions . . . . . . Concentrating Pulphuric Acid . . . . . . . . . . . . Liquid Sulphate of Alumina ... . . . . . . . . Preserving Food . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing Caustic Alkalies and Preparations . . . . . . 6d. 6d. 2d. 6d. Gd. 2d. 8d. 24. G d . 2d. 611. Gd. Gd. 4d. 4d. ed. 4a. 4a. ~ ~~~ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ~~ BOOES, &c., RECEIVED. The Chemist and Druggist; The Brewers’ Guardian; The British Medical Journal; The Medical Examiner ; The Medical Times and Gazette ; The Pharmaceutical Journal ; The Sanitary Record ; The Medical Record ; The Miller ; The Anti-Adulteration Review ; Jcurnal of Applied Science ; 1 hc Country Brewers’ Gazcttc ; Brewing Practically and Scientifically Considered, by E. R. Southby, M,R.C.S. j Preventive Medicine in Relatiou to Public Health, by Allred Carpenter, XD,