ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN87803FP043

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN87803BP045

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

355 THE ANALYST. NOVEMBER, 1878. A CURIOUS CASE OF POIS9KING BY MOULDY BREAD. By ALFRED H. ALLEN, F.C.S. I HAVE recently had the investigation of a very curious case of poisoning at Barnsley, and as the circumstances fortunately allowed of a very complete examination being made, and the case has several features of special interest, the following description may not be without value :- At a cheap eating-house in Barnsley, kept by a Mr.Thresh, the cook made two bread puddings of the scraps of bread left from making toast, sandwiche8, &c. These scraps had been accumulating for some weeks. After soaking the bread over night in cold water, she added milk, sugar, eggs, currfints, and nutmeg, and then baked the puddings in separate ovens. The cook herself, the proprietor of the eating-house, the waiter, and a customer partook of one of the puddings,-distinguished as No.1 5n the evidence. The rest of i t was sent to Thresh's own house, and four of his children partook of it. Of the eight persons who eat of No. 1 pudding, everrone was seized with violent purging, vomiting, and other symptoms of irritant poisoning. Their pulses were very rapid, but none of them had bloody motions.After thirty-six hours, Emma Thresh, a delicate child of three, subject to diarrhea, died, and a week after eating the pudding, Mason, the waiter, also died. He was a very weakly man, given to drink, and was often purged ten and twelve tinies in an afternoon. Hence, his symptoms did not at first excite suspicion, especially as he did not 'vomit till the second day.The other pudding was only eaten by one person, who did not take much, and did not suffer in any way. The remainders of both puddings, the viscera of the two deceased persons, and the rest of the currants, nutmeg, and sugar used in making the puddings, and the spoon used in helping them were all submitted t o me. The medical man who made the postmortem examinations, having suspected arsenic or copper, my attention was first directed to metallic poisons, of which, however, no trace could be detected.The search wau not limited to the sulphuretted hydrogen metals, but zinc, chromillm, and barium were also carefully looked for. I may take this opportunity of saying, that when a starchy or saccharine prcparation like bread pudding is to be examined for metallic poisons, Fresenius' method of destroying organic matter (by treating the substance with hydrochloric acid and potassium chlorate) is very ill adapted for the purpose. A clear yellow liquid is readily obtained, but the colour is much darkened on heating, or on treatment with sodium sulphite, and en prolonged passing of sulphuretted hydrogen yellow or brownish organic matter is thrown down, which contaminates any true metallic sulphide, and causes other incon- venience.A far better plan, in my opinion, is t o exhaust the starchy matters with cold dilute hydrochloric or sulphuric acid, adding alcohol, if necessary, to facilitate filtration. The solution so obtained may be conveniently tcsted for metals, alkaloids, oxaiic acid, &c.The insoluble portion should then be treated with stiong nitric acid and a little potassium356 THE ANALYST. nitrate, evaporated cautiously to dryness, and ignited. Non-volatile metals can then be readily detected in the residue. I n the case of the puddings in question, both thiec method and that of Fresenius’s were employed, with entirely negative results. A search for phosphorus and cantharides was not omitted, and I also made a careful examination for alkaloids in the liquid obtained by treating No. 1 pudding with sulphuric acid and alcohol, but without result.Nor had the extract left on evaporating this liquid any bitter taste, or any poisonous effect on a mouse fed with it. On arriving at this point I was much puzzled, and still more so when I found that No.1 pudding, which had poisoned eight people, did not even purge a six weeks’ old puppy which I fed on it for two whole days. Still the evidence that No. 1 pudding really poisoned the people was sufficiently strong to hang it. At this stage I wrote to several friends t o ask if they could suggest any explanation of the facts. I received in reply a letter from Dr.Tidy, suggesting ergot as a probable cause, but admitting that the empty bladder of Mason was not in accordance with the usual symptoms of ergot poisoning. One of the medical men subsequently pointed out that the extremely rapid pulse of the poisoned persons was opposed to the usual effects of ergot. I examined the pudding under the microscope for ergot, but could find none. Nor had it any violet tint.Nor did the flour of which the bread supplied to the eating house was said to have been made contain any detectable trace of ergot when examined microscopically and chemically. The rye-mcal of the same baker contained only a doubtful trace of ergot. On treating No. 1 pudding with cold solution of soda an unmistakable smell of herrings was observed. After a time the mixture acquired il brilliant lake-red colour, which increased in intensity and was very permanent.The colour was very striking and characteristic, but not of the same shade as the violet-red I obtaiued from a bread pudding t o which I had purposely added ergot. No. 2 pudding gave the same reactions as No. 1, but far less distinctly. The lake-red colour with soda was producible throughout the mass of the pudding, and not merely on the surface.Portions of the pudding which had become visibly mouldy did not give the lake-red reaction, nor did a bread pudding prepared from pure materials for the purpose of comparison give any ergoto’id reaction. Under the microscope, abundance of myceliwn threads and other structures were observable. From these results it appears that the red colour and trimethylamine odour observed on treating ergot with an alkali are not peculiar to that fungus, as has been supposed hitherto, but are obtainable from other sources.That the substance producing these reactions is a fungus there could be little doubt, and it is probable that it contains the same poisonous principle as ergot. I n the present unsatisfactory state of the chemistry of ergot I thought it useless to attempt to isolate or identify the active principle.*The best way of applying Fre~eniu~’ process to animal matters is to distil the substance with pure fuming hydrochloric acid, collecting the distillate in a little water. Arsenic, and probahly antimony, will pas3 over, and can readily be detected in the distillate.The residue in the flask or retort is diluted with hat water, and snbmittcd to the action of the gas given off on treating chlorate of potassium with strong hydrochloric acid. By proceeding in this manner, all the oxidising effect of chlorine peroxide is obtained without the objectionable introduction of solid matters. In this process, the animal matters are completely destroyed, and the poison dissolved without possibility of loss, and without the introduction of any foreign matter but compounds of chlorine.THE ANALYST.357 I beliere I have now obtained absolute proof that il body giving the ergoto’id reactions with soda is really a poisonous fungus, for I have reproduced it on a slice of bread soaked i n milk and sugar and inoculated at one end with KO.1 pudding. In forty-eight hours the lake-red reaction with Eoda was obtainable from portions of the bread several inches removed from the pudding, and this distance was increased as time went on. Finally a portion of the bread far removed from the pudding produced violent purging on a mouse which was fed with it. This last experiment was made subsequently t o the verdict of the jury, which was that the deceased persons ‘( Died from eating unwholesome pudding, but how and by what means such pudding became unwholesome there is no sufkient evidence to show.” Evergone connected with the case whose opinion could be considered of value felt convinced that the cause of the disaster was the condition of the bread, but after the verdict I learnt that some of the jury could not conceive that a (‘ mould ” invisible to ordinary observation could be poiEonous, and the cook did not notice any mould on the bread of which she made the pudding ! I may add that the poisonous pudding had no sign of crust on it, but was ‘ I sloppy,” and of the consistency of bread and milk.The oven in which it was baked was a notoriously slow one. The separate lumps of bread mere clearly distinguishable, and the heat had not been sufficient to burst, or in many cases to alter, the starch corpuscles. The presence of a fungus, poisonous at ,z particular stage of its growth, would account for the pudding poisoning the original partakers, and yet being inert when tried on the puppy ten days afterwards.It might still be detectable by chemical reactions (like old ergot) and be capable of reproduction, as it seems to have been in the slice of bread, There was no suspicion of malice on the part of anyone, or even of a trick having been played, and Thresh himself attributes the poisonous effects simply t o ‘( sour food.” On searching for recorded cases of poisoning by mouldy bread (as distinguished from ergotized bread) I found several instances in which very similar effects had been observed. In a case described in Von Boeck’s new work on poisons, three persons were violently ill, and one, a child of a few years of age, died.NOTE ON A CURIOUS CASE OF DANGEROUS MILK. BY DB. JOHN MUTER, F.C.S. I HAVE been lately consulted by a gentleman, whose family suffered an attack of sickness and purging after partaking of the usual morning’s milk, with the view of, if possible, tracing the cause of the attack.The quantity saved was unfortunately very small, and was delivered t o me in the can in which it came, but a larger amount of the same milk, which had been boiled, was also submitted. The latter enabled me to make a careful search for poisons, but with a negative result, and (after allowing for the probable concentration of the milk by boiling) showed that little or no water had been added.On opening the can, I was at once struck by the strikingly foul smell which emanated from it, and on putting the milk under the microscope, although T found no pus, casts, blood or other appearances indicating disease, I noticed some bodies which appeared to be fungoid cells.1 then turned my attention to the can, and found that the smell, although partly communicated to the milk, really existed chiefly in that vessel. On partially washing358 THE ANALYST. the con I obtained decided appearances of fungoid growths and some bacteria adhering to the joints, which mere entirely filled by a solid mass of decomposing milk constituents. I a t once concluded that the milk had heen rendered poisonous by being placed i n this dirty can, which had quickly communicated its septic properties to the contents ; and I reported accordingly. This shows that a poison, probably of a fungoid nature, can form in milk vessels when they have had the milk hardening in them, and are only given a slight perfunctory rinse.Our publicans take a pride in the perfect brightness of their can8 both inside and out, and why should not our milkmen also avail themselves of a little sand and Unfortunately the milk can is too often a dull, dirty, and unscrubbed receptacle, capable of conveying, as above shown, a dangerous fermentive poison. I, for one, will insist on having my milk in brightly-scrubbed cans (both outside and inside), and I advise the public to do likewise, or change their purveyor. I intend trying t o obtain some more of the curious growth I saw, and hope to be able to describe it more minutely at a future date. I ought t o say that the odour of the can was not at all that of simply stale milk, but something indescribably putrid and offensive. elbow grease.”

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300355

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

358 THE ANALYST. ON THM NITROGEN COMPOUNDS PRESENT I N THE CEREALS. By G. W. WTGNEB, F.C.S. (Third Pqer.) IN the previous notes on this subject I omitted to notice that the determinatione of nitrogen had all been made by the soda-lime process. When I commenced the in- vestigation I was of opinion that the results obtained by this process were sufficiently correct for the determination of such nitrogenous eubstances as are met with i n the cereals, provided of course that the proper precautions were taken, and especially that the quantity of the grain burnt was not too large.Working in this way on 10 or 15 grains of the sample, I had found that with proper care the proportion of gluten shown by this process varied as the maximum error less than 0.2 in different analyses of the same sample.But on carrying these investigations further I am convinced that there are certain disturbing circumstances due to the samples themselves which render the results liable to a greater error than this. No alteration in the mode of procedure in the analysis is sufficient t o account for some of the differences found, and I cannot a t present trace any relation between the non-coagulable constituents and the irregular results, but the fact remains that I have found certain samples which show in some cases nearly one per cent. more or less albuminous matters by the soda-lime process than I should have expected them to do, and yet while rcpeats give nearly identical results, the percentages found diff ereci materially from those given by the absolute nitrogen process.It seems to me probable that some of the non-coagulable constituents may be the cawe of this disturbing action, but a t present all I can say is that the residues which haw been coagulated hy acid give results which are more uniformly correct than those which are obtained from the original meal or flour. It may be possible for me on a future occasion to point out the exact differences i n the resultp of every sample, but for the present I give the results by soda-lime process only.THE ANALYST.359 Before passing to the results obtained from the analysis of the flour it will be convenient if I give some more general particulars as to these samples. They were, as I have said before, representative not average ones, and were selected from soils of different kinds, and from good and bad crops.Taking the weight per bushel as the standard of comparison most generally referred to, I have the following figures, for which I am again indebted to my friend, Professor Tanner. I also give in another column a determination of the actual weight of 100 grains or kernels of the sample. These weights were taken in such a way that I think the results are quite correct, and they may furnish some clue to the variations found between the different samples.I also give the specific gravity of the whole grain determined by direct weighing. Mark. Weight in lbs. per Specific gravity of ~~g~~~~~~~ bushel. whole grain, A ... 66 ... 1.3G B .*I 61 ... 1.26 C ... 67 ... 1.33 D ... 66 ... 1.31 E ...67 ... 1-24 F ... 65h ... 1.28 G ... 66 ... lt39 H ... 63 ... 1.31 J ... 63 ... 1-28 K '.. 64 ... 1.27 L ... 63 ... 1.25 Ed ... 64 ... 1.24 N ... 62 ... 1.27 0 ... 64 ... 1.30 P ... 64 ... 1.35 The weight of the corns will be seen to Far7 greatly, 100 to 81.8 grains per 100, the average of the whole is 100 corns. of wholeugrain. ... 69.2 ... 65.5 ... 66.2 ... 60.4 ... 44.1 ...63.8 .. . 67.0 ... 78.1 ... 81.2 0.. 81.8 ... 80-9 ... 46.1 ... 63.2 .I. 63.7 ... 65.0 namely, from 44.1 grains per 65.75 grains as the weight of As a further guide in considering the results it may be noted that Proft?ssor Tanner has kindly informed me that sample L was a very large crop, and sample E was a small crop ; sample A was a very fine white wheat; sample B was harvested during very bad weather ; sample J was grown on clay land after clover, and sample H on gravelly soil after clover.As I have already referred to the results obtained from the whole meal and bran, I have next to consider those obtained from the samples of flour. It is necessary to bear in mind that these samples of flour were made by grinding the wheat by hand in a coffee mill, and dressing through a sieve with 80 holes per linear inch.The result of this mode of grinding and dressing is to mix the flour with pulverized bran to a much larger extent than is the case with commercial samples of flour which have been ground between stones and dressed through silk. The soda-lime combustions of these samples were dl made on small quantities of flour, as I found the results obtained from say 10 grains more uniform than those obtained when larger quantities were taken.Slow combustion seemed to give the highest and most consistent results, and was therefore adopted, SO that most of the samples were more than an hour and a half in the furnace, which is Griffin's gas. The samples were coagulated by carbolic acid, acidified with a few drops of metaphosphorio acid solution, and the filtrates saved for subsequent examination.360 THE ANALYST.The following were the results obtained, the nitrogenous constituents being calculated as before by multiplying the nitrogen found by 6.33 ; the results are given in percentages :- FLOUR. Percentage of true m a ~ ~ r ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t e d Nitrogenous matter gluten, calculated mat teru.by carbolic acid. not coagulated. on total nitrogenous matters. Total nitrogenous Mark. A B C n E F G H J K L M N 0 P ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..* 12.97 7-97 7.85 7-60 8.86 8.73 9.43 8.86 9.49 8.41 7.78 11.28 8.40 9 18 12 13 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11.64 7.32 7.60 7.34 8.10 8.10 7.59 8.35 6 * i 0 7.72 6.73 10.12 7.88 8.67 11-13 ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1.33 *65 -25 *26 -76 -6 3 1-54 - 5 1 2-79 #69 1.05 1-16 *62 -6 1 1.00 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 89.7 91.8 97-8 96.6 91-4 92.8 80.5 94.2 70.6 91.8 86.5 89.6 9 3.8 93.4 92.0 The most discordant results are those shown by the J samples. Now on referring to TRE ANALYST, pages 305 and 306, it will be seen that this sample of wheat showed in the whole meal the smallest but one percentage ratio between the true and non- coagulable albuminoids, namely 73.7 per cent., and that the bran from i t showed a high ratio, namely 88.0 per cent.The proportion of flour obtained from this sample waB 82.5 per cent. leaving bran 17.5 per cent. Now multiplying the results up wc hare :- Bran .. . . . . . . . 17.5 X 88.0 per cent. = 15.40 per cent. Flour . . . . . . . . . 82.5 X 70.6 ,, = 58.24 ,, Total . . . . . . . . . 73-64 ,, Found in whole meal ... 73.70 ,, - This shows very good agreement in the results inter se, milch better than prevails in some other cases. In the G sample, which shows the next smallest percentage, the figures worked out as above show by calculation from the bran and flour 83.3 per cent, of the nitrogenous matter present as true gluten, and the whole meal result was 83.9 per cent.I n the case of the highest percentage the bran sample of C, after washing with carbolic acid, was spoilt, but the whole meal result was also one of the highest. It mill be more useful t o show these results next in another form, putting side by eide the results obtained from the whole meal, bran and flour.PEUCENTAGE OF TRUE GLUTEN CiLCULATED ON THE TOTAL NITHOGENOUS OONSTITUENTS. Mark, Whole meal. Bran. Flour. A ... 87.9 ... 42 4 ... 69.7 B ... 80.9 ... 59.6 91.8 C ... 92.5 ... - ... 97'8 1) ... 91.9 ... 40.8 96.6 E ... 65-9 ... 76.6 91.4 F ... i6.4 I.. 86.8 ... 92.8 G ... 83.9 ... 89.8 .-. 80.5 H ...81.0 ... 70.1 ... 94.2 J ... 73.7 ... 88.0 ... 70.6 K ... 79.4 ... 64.3 ... 91.8 L ... 74.0 ... 66.4 ... 86.6 M ... 90.0 ... 78.8 ... 89.6 N ..* 95.3 ... 81.5 ... 93.8 0 ... 76 2 ... 68.1 ... 93.4 P ... 79.8 .*. 65.7 .*. 92.0THE ANALYST. 36 1 It will be seen that the percentage ratio of true gluten found in samples M and N* is greater in the whole meal than in either the bran or flour when sifted.It seems impoasible to explain this result on any other supposition than the uncertainty of the soda-lime process already referred to. Samples G and J give a higher ratio of true gluten in the bran than in the flour, and they are the only samples which do so. The average of all these ratios is as follows :- They have already been referred to. Whole meal .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.9 per cent. Bran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68-1 ,, Flour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90.2 ,, 1 have in each case determined the nitrogen in the form of nitrates and nitrites in the filtrate from the carbolic acid process. To render these results readily comparable with the previous ones I must now give the percentages of actual nitrogen found by combustion side by side with those found existing as nitrates and nitrites :- BRAN.N. as nitrates Mark, Total N. by Coamlable N. and nitrites by Difference= combustion. by combuation Difference* aluminium N* in Other forms. process. A 1.. B ... c ... D ... E ... F ... G ... H ... J ... K ... L ... M ... N ... 0 ... P ... 2.1 19 2.147 1.858 1.369 1.173 1.473 1-669 1.738 1.840 1.587 1.775 1.300 1-460 2.473 1 * i O O ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0.900 1.280 0.560 0.900 1,280 1.500 1-219 1.618 1.020 1.178 1'340 1-059 0.769 1.378 - ... ... .., ... ... ... *.. ... ... ... ... I.. ... ... ... 1.219 0,867 0,809 0.273 0.193 0.169 0.519 0,222 0.567 0.597 0.360 0.241 0-70 1 1.095 - ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0.064 0.0Sl 0.017 0.016 0 055 0,028 0.016 0.037 0.037 0.022 0.022 0-020 0.015 0.015 0.021 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1.255 0.846 0.793 0.218 0.165 0'153 0.482 0.185 0.545 0.575 0.340 0-226 0.686 1.074 -_ These results show an average of 0.027 per cent. of nitrogen as nitrates and nitrites still unaccounted for, and although there are considerable variations in the samples, the maximum proportion of -064 per cent.is still only a small one. Taking the flours in the same way we get the following results :- FLOUR. Mark, Total N. by Coagulable N. combustion. by combustion 4 ... B ... c ... D ... E ... F ... G ... H ... J ... K ... L ... M ... N ... 0 ... P ... 2.049 1-269 1.240 1.200 1.400 1.378 1.489 1,400 1 ,500 1.330 1.230 1.781 1-326 1.450 1.915 ...... ... ... ... ... ... * .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1.838 1.156 1.200 1.1 60 1.279 1.279 1.198 1-318 1.058 1-219 1.063 1.599 1-245 1.354 1.758 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Difference. 0.21 1 0.103 0.040 0 040 0.121 0.099 0.231 0.088 0.442 0.111 0.167 0.182 0,081 0.096 0.157 N.a8 nitrates and by Difference = aluminium E. in other forms. process, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0.019 0.017 0.022 0.025 0 022 0.018 0-019 0-021 0.022 0.016 0.021 0.017 0.018 0.020 0.018 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 . . ... ... .. ... ... ... 0.1 92 0.086 0.018 0.015 0,099 0.081 0.272 0 067 0.420 0.095 0,146 0,165 0.065 0.076 0,139 * The N sample was from the continuous growth of wheat for 9 pare out of 10.362 THE ANALYST.The average of this series shows :- Nitrogen not coagulated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.149 per cent. Ditto a8 nitrates and nitrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.019 ,, Ditto in other forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.130 ,, So that in the case of the flours only about one-eighth part of the nitrogen is accounted for by this determination.The variations here do not seem to show any special law, except that the proportion present is, in nearly every case, less than that found in the corresponding bran. The net result so far then is that in the bran we have an merage of 0.390 per cent, of nitrogen, and in the flours an average of *130 per cent of nitrogen, m-hich is not present as true gluten or as a nitrogen acid, Part of this quantity is no doubt present as glutin, and it seema probable that another portion may be in a body of the asparagin class.I am carryihg this investigation further, but cannot report upon it at present. My object in taking up this matter was to form a true opinion as t o flesh-forming values, and it is quite clear t o me that at present it will not do to assume that any nitrogenous bodies other than those coagulated by carbolic acid are really of value.Averaging the samples again I find that the whole meals show an average of 8.09 per cent. of true gluten, and the flours 8.33 per cent., or 0.24 per cent. of real flesh-formers in favour of the flour, and it must be borne in mind that this would have been larger if the bran had been more perfectly separated. I come therefore to the conclusion that the supposed greater feeding power of wholo meal is not at present borne out by the facts.I hope t o give shortly a few similar facts as to oats and barley, which, as far as I can judge at present, show similar results. At a nieeting of the Scarborough Town Council, on the 26th October, Mr. James Baynes, jun., was appointed public analyst for that borough. The other candidates were Mr. Thomas Fairley, T4eeds ; Mr. George Jarmain, Huddersfield; and Dr. Proctor, Pork. Mr, Louis Siebold, F.C.S., editor of the “Year-book of Pharmacy,” has been appointed Public Analyst for the County of W estmoreland. hlr. J. Baynes has been appointed public analyst for the Borough of Hanley. Mr. A. H. Allen has been appointed public analyst for Barnsley. Dr. Drinkwater, F.C.S., has been appointed Lecturer on Chemistry in the Edinburgh School of Medicine. FARADAY LECTURE.-Prof. Wurtz will deliver his lecture 11 Sur la Constitution de la Matiire A 1’Etat Gazeux,” on Tuesday, November 12th, at half-past eight o’clock p.m., in the Theatre of the Royal Institution, Fellows and visitor’s tickets can now be had on application to Mr. Hall. In consequence of the Chemical Society’s Dinner having been fixed for the 13th November, the next meeting of the Society of Public Analysts has been postponed to the 20th November.

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300358

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

362 THE ANALYST. ERRATA.-IR Dr. Cameron's paper, on p. 337, third line, the full stop should be after, not before, the word '' well ''.I and six lines from bottom, ( 6 3 grains '' should be 63 grains."

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300362

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

THE ANALYST. 363 The foll. wiug are abstracts of some further papers read before the British Pharmaceutical Conference : - ON NECTAR I N VARIOUS FLOWERS. BY A. S. WILSON, M.A. MR. WILSON reported the proportions of sugar he had found in many flowers, and calculated that in order to obtain 1 kilo. of sugar 7,500,000 distinct flowers must be sucked. As honey contains roughly about 75 per cent.of sugar, a bee has thus t o make about two-and-a- half millions of visits in order to collect a pound of honey. It is rather a curious fact that nectar should contain cane sugar, seeing that honey never does, indeed, were a vendor to sell honey containing cane sugar he would probably be prosecuted under the Adulteration Act, A change must, therefore, take place while the sugar is in the bees possession-possibly through the action of the juices with which it comes in contact while in the honey bag, which is an expansion of the esophagus of the insect.As nectar is acid in its reaction, it is, however, possible that the process of inversion may take place spontaneously. ON THE DETECTION AND ESTIMATION OF MINERAL OIL. BY W. THOMSON, F.R.S.E. THIS referred to a procese which Mr.Thctrnson hod contrived for detecting mineral oil in animal, vegetable, or fish oils, with which he said it was often mixed to form a lubricating oil. He boilcd some of the sample with an alcoholic solution of caustic soda, which converted all the animal, vegetable, or fish oils into soap. This was then mixed with sand and treated and washcd with petroleum spirit, and distilled at a temperature under 190° Fahr., which dissolved out the mineral oil, leaving the soap insoluble.The spirit is then distilled off from the spirit solution of mineral oil at a temperature not exceeding 2200 Fahr., and the residue of mineral oil weighed and calculated on the weight of the original mixed oil taken. NITRITE OF AMYL, BY D. B. DOTT. THIS paper embodied the results of an examination of several samples of nitrite of amyl procured from different makers, with the view of ascertaining the degree of purity of the article i n the market, The samples examined had a specific gravity varying from 0864 to -876, the proper specific gravity being ,877.By a Pingle rectification thcy gnye a yield of 6.7, 11.5, 33.3, 47.5, and 65.0 per cent.respectively, boiling at 90° t o loo0 C., while a sample prepared by the author i n the ordinary may gave 85.0 per cent. One of the samples had an odour quite distinct from that of genuine nitrite of amyl, and produced little effect on the heart’s action by the inhalation of its vapour. It will thus be seen that there is a great variation in the quality of the amyl nitrite of differeut makers, and that some of it is of very inferior quality. The author considers that some standard of purity less rigid than that of the Pharmacopceia ought to be adopted, as it is impossible to prepare a nitrite of amyl boiling constantly at 205O F. Indeed, there seema to be some doubt as to whether that is really the correct boiling point. The process for preparing nitrite of amyl, by passing nitrous acid gas through amylic alcohol is held to be the best, bcing decidedly preferable to that by the direct action of nitric acid on the alcohol.

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300363

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

364 THE ANALYST. THAMES WATER. BY G. W. WIGNER, F.C.S. THE following analysis of samples of Thames water, which I have recently made for the Woolmich Board, will probably possess rather more than a passing interest. They show clearly how large a proportion of sea water finds its way up R large tidal river auch as the Thames, to a distance of some forty miles from the mouth, and to within about a dozen miles of where it ceases to be tidal.The samples were taken when the river was in slightly more than its average condition of flood. The increase in the proportion of chlorine, as the samples are taken at greater depths from the surface, will be noted as a marked feature in the results. The microscopical results gave the most convincing proof of sewage contamination, as fragments of partially decomposed food and animal fibre and disintegrated paper were found in more than two-thirds of the samples.All of them swarmed with living and dead infusoria and diatoms of many different species. The samples Noa. 11, 9 and 10 were taken, as nearly aa possible, at the spot where the wreck of the '' Princess Alice '' was found. The samples mere taken on an ebb tide. TABULAR STATEMENT of Results of Analyses of Samples of Thames Water taken on the 14th of October, 1878.A l l results expressed in grains per gallon. Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Billingsgate. Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 p.m. Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Surface Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 deg.Appearance of Sample . . . . . . . . . Turbid h e l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slight Buspended Matter-Organic Matter ... 1.24 Total suspended or sedimentary Matter ... 7.36 Yellow * * ' brown Colour of Filtered Water Dissolved Matter-Organic Matter ... 30.40 ... ?? ,, Inorganic ditto 6.12 ... ... ?, ,, Mineral ditto 229.40 >) ,, Total Solid ditto 259.80 ... Chlorine . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 127.98 = Chloride of Sodium . . . . . . . . . 210.90 Anhydrous Sulphuric Acid . . . . . . 16.06 Nitrogen as free and saline ammonia ... Ditto as albuminoid (organic) ammonia ... *0140 *0100 Oxygen absorbed from a standard solu- tion of pernianganate of Potash ... *1700 15 ft. 66i deg, Turbid Slight 3.01 13.33 16.34 Yellow brown 35.80 250.80 286.60 141.64 235.42 17-17 *0260 -0120 n2000 3 4 5 6 Limehouse Reach.Charlton Pier. 3.35 p.m. 4.40 pm. Surface 20 ft. Surface 20 ft. 58 deg. 68 deg. 6 6 i deg. 5 6 i deg. Turbid Turbid Turbid Turbid Slight Slight Objection- Obiection- able 1.26 5-82 7.08 Yellow brown 616.00 476.80 992.80 27 8.35 450.45 32.19 -0440 *0160 1.83 6.98 8.8 1 Yellow brown 134.20 496.00 630 20 273.35 450.46 33.73 00440 -0180 1.58 4.91 6.49 Yellow brown 361.80 647'20 1009~00 366.53 604.01 43-52 ,0740 -0200 *1700 01560 -1600 "able 1-17 6.35 6.52 Yellow brown 154.00 686.00 840.00 388.: 0 640.87 47'13 -0700 90200 '1400THE ANALYST.365 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 8 Place Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.46 p.m. North Woolwich Pier, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Depth . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . Surface Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 deg. Appearance of Sample . . . . . . . . . Turbid Smell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . objection- Suspended Matter-Organic Matter ... -78 Total suspended or sedimentary Matter ... 6.26 Yellow brown Colour of Filtered Water Dissolved Matter-Organic Matter ... 151.60 Most able 9 9 )) Inorganic ditto ... 6.47 ... $ 9 ,, Mineral ditto ...670.20 9, ,, Total Solid ditto ... 821.80 Chlorine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383.93 =Chloride of Sodium . . . . . . . . . 632.68 Anhydrous Sulphuric Acid . . . . . . 45.36 Nitrogen as free and saline ammonia ... ,0620 Ditto as alburninoid (organic) ammonia ... -0160 Oxygen absorbed from a standard solu- tion of permanganate of Potash ... ,1350 20 ft. 562 deg.Turbid Sulphur- etted hydrogen *a2 6.96 6-78 Yellow brown 211.20 733.20 944.40 413.83 681.95 47.47 a0500 *0180 *1650 11 9 10 12 Wreck at Powder Magazine. 6 p.m. Surface 20 ft. 55+ deg. 66 deg. Turbid Turbid Most Most offensive offensive 1.61 1.06 4.23 4.77 5-84 6.83 Yellow Brown brown yellow 140.40 212.20 723.40 778.60 863930 990.80 419.94 442.32 692.02 728.91 49-19 52.11 -0400 -0600 *0160 .0500 -0850 00850 40 ft.66 deg. Turbid Most offensive 4.90 27-42 32.32 Yellow 125.20 815.20 940.40 452.26 745-29 52-60 -0500 -0240 -2196 6.10 p.m. 6 ft. 68 deg. Very turbid Decomposed sewage 6.98 17.78 24.76 Deep yellow brown 17040 692.40 S62.40 400.08 659.29 28.07 -2000 *0620 -2850 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 14 15 17 16 Between Northern Southern Out falls. Out Place .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . and Jenningtree Point. Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.20 p.m. 6.30 p.m. 6.40 p.m. Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Surface Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 deg. Appearance of Sample . . . . . . . . . Turbid Smell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Decomposed ' sewage Suspended Matter-Organic Matter ... 2.41 7 9 ,, Icorganic ditto ... 10.11 Total suspended or sedimentary Matter... Colour of Filtered Water 12.52 Urine * * * yellow ... Dissolved Matter-Organic Matter ... 156.80 I9 ,, Mineral ditto ... 743.00 9 9 ,, Total Solid ditto 899.80 Chlorine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 93 = Chloride of Sodium . . . . . . . . . 700.24 Anhydrous Sulphuric Acid . . . . . . 60.36 Nitrogen as free and saline ammonia ...*0255 -0070 ... Ditto as albuminoid (organic) ammonia.. , Oxygen absorbed from a standard solu- tion of permanganate of Potash ... 01750 20 ft. 10 ft. Surface 56 deg. 57 deg. 66 deg. Turbid Very turbid Turbid Decomposed sewage excessively offensive strong 5-19 4.70 1.73 24.51 12.23 8.87 29.70 16.93 10.60 Yellow Very deep Yellow urine yellow brown 116.60 116.20 164.00 766.60 687*00 839.80 882.tiO 703.20 1003.80 447'30 342.93 484.67 737.10 665.11 798.52 49.87 40.60 21.20 -0315 *1900 *O(iSO -0070 -1100 -0160 Decomp sed sewage Very *1800 '3659 *1000 20 ft. 5 6 i deg. Turbid Very offensive 6-58 27.59 34-17 Urine yellow 185.00 927 60 1112.60 636.76 884.52 16.05 -1400 .0500 -1600 18 GaS Works Outfall Oct. 19. 3 p.m. Surface Turbid Offensive ... 3.62 9.99 13-61 Yellow 78.40 367.20 445.60 21 1.23 348.07 23.34 '1 200 -0120 01675

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300364

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

366 THE ANALYST, ANALYSTS’ REPORTS. Dr. Bostock Hill, the Warwickshire analyst, at the recent county eessions presented his quarterly report, in which he stated that he had received twenty-two samples for analysis. All the samples were pure except a specimen of mustard which had been exposed to the weather, Dr. Kill was reappointed county analyst for twelve months. At the Wilts Quarter Sessions, Dr.Donkin, the county analyst, presented his report, which stated that a sample of coffee which he tested was not good, there being an undue proportion of husk and chicory, which, however, might have been accidental. Some mustard consisted of two parts of mustard to one of flour and tumeric. The report of the county analyst, Mr. W. W. Stoddart, was presented to the Somerset Quarter Sessions, He snid during the quarter he had analysed 370 samples of food, two of which were brought by the public and the others by superiutandents of the police.He had analysed 188 samples of beer, the result being that although the beers had varied greatly in quality, neither of the samples contained any ingredients injurious to health, or of a noxious character, On the whole the samples were much better in quality than last year.The Chairman said the report was highly satisifactory ; one was curious to see if the cider was equally good, Somerset being a cider country. Mr. J. Carter Bell, county analyst, reported to the Court of Quarter Session for Cheshire, that he had during the quarter ended September 30 analysed 89 samples, consistirg of 56 beers, 6 gins. 1 whisky, 6 violet powders, 1 fuller’s earth, 2 breads, 12 milks, 1 tea, 2 coffecs, 1 hore-hound, and 2 lards Of these 4 were adulterated-2 milks, 1 gin, and 1 whisky.Of the 56 beers only 1 contained more than fifty grains of salt to the gallon ; many of them contained only three or four grains. At the Cheshire Quarter Sessions recently, the salary of the county analyst (Mr.J. Carter Bell) was increased from $100 to €200 per annum, on condition of his undertaking analyses of water for a fee of 6s., and also a more extensive and complete analysis of beer. Mr. T. Fairley, analyst for the Borough of Leeds, reports that during the Michaelmas Quartcr he examined eighteen samples, twelve being milks (one of which contained 1 2 per cent. of water), and two peppers, one flour, one bread, and two butters, all of which were genuine, though the latter were of poor quali t y .Mr. Fairley also reports that, as analyst for the North Riding of Yorkshire, he examined, during last quarter, thirty-one samples, including one whisky, which contained 37 per cent. of water. A sample of eweet spirits of nitre contained an excessive proportion of water to the amount of 31 per cent., and no more than a trace of nitrous ether.Two peppers contained sand, one niustard 15 per cent. of wheat floor, and one oatmeal 20 per cent. of barlcy meal. The other samples, ten milks, one bread, one flour, three oat- meals, one sugar, six peppers, &c., were all genuine, Mr. J. Baynes, public analyst for Kingston-upon-Hull, reports that in consequence of the prevalence of typhoid fever, he examined microscopically thirteen samples of milk and five of water .during the past quarter, and they were all pure.He states that the Act has been a dead letter during the quarter, owing to the quibble which has been raised as to the term ‘‘ prejudice of the purchaser.” Mr. Baynea also reports that, as analyst for the East Riding of Yorkshire, he examined 43 samples, including 18 milks, 10 of which contained added water, ranging froin 5 to 22 per cent., 10 breads, of which only one was adulterated, but that seems to have been the very essence of adulteration, containing, as it did, the very large quantity of 22 grains of alum per 4-lb.loaf, 1 sample of butter, 1 of baking powder, 2 of coffee, 6 of lard, were all genuine, As were also 2 samples of oatmeal and 2 of pepper.One water waa contaminated. The Clerk of the Peace said the report on the whole was favourable. It is reported from Paris that 273 sacks of flour, supplied to the Chatellerault garrison, have been The soldiers had long thrown into the Vienne, having been found so adulterated as to be unfit for food. found fault with the bread, and the contractors will probably be prosecuted. Two German State Analysts, Drs. Hebenstreit, of Chemnitz, and Skalweit, of Hanover, bave published, in tabular form, the results of most minute analyses made by them of over forty samples of German Beers. I n none were found anything besides malt, hops, yeast, and water.

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300366

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

THE ANALYST. 367 LAW REPORTS. EXTRAORDINARY C~s~.-David Davis, milk dealer, 23, Red Cross Street, Borough, appeared before Mr. Benson, at Southwark Police Court, on an adjourned summons, obtained by Mr. Errington, the sanitary inspector of St. Saviour’s District Board of Workg, charging him with selling milk on the 20th ultimo containing 25 per cent. of added water. Mr. Simpson, clerk to the district board, prosecuted, and stated that on the 3rd instant the prisoner appeared before Mr.Partridge on the present charge, which he denied, and asked his worship to be allowed to send his sample of the milk to the Government analyst at Somerset House. That had been done. and now he (Mr. Simpson) and his witnesses attended to know the result. Mr. Benson told him he had received two certificates from the Government analyst.One marked 71 contained 25 per cent. of added water, and No. 72 was pure milk. I t seemed to him very strange that such should be the case if the samples were taken at one and the same time. Mr. Errington was here sworn, and said that on the 20th of September he purchased the milk at defendant’s shop, and told Mrs. Davis that he was going to have it analysed.In her presence he divided it in three portions, and sealed the bottles up with the official seal. One he left with Mrs. Davis, one he took to Dr. Bernays, and the third he kept, and marked 71. When the case was called on before Mr. Partridge on the 3rd instant, defendant produced what appeared to be the bottle of milk he left him, and said he was satisfied that i t was genuine, and requested his worship to remit it to the Government analyst at Somerset House.Stewart Ramsay, 147 M, one of the officers of the court, said that by direction of Mr. Partridge he took the two sample bottles of milk to the Government analyst, at Somerset House. The one he received from the defendant he marked 72. The latter seemed to him to be rather loose at the cork, and it smelt rancid.Mr. Errington was recalled, and in answer to Mr. Simpson, he said he had on several occasions taken milk from defendant’s place for analysing, and had left several sealed bottles with him. The bottle of milk defendant sent to the Government analyst might have been one of them, as the sample was found to be good. Dr. Bernays, Professor of Chemistry at St.Thomas’s Hospital, said he received a sealed bottle of milk from Mr. Errington on the 20th ultimo, and analysed it immediately. He had compared the Government analyst’s certificate, No. 71, with his own, and found them to correspond. H e had also examined the Government analyst‘s certificate No. 72, and was positive that it could not be the aame milk. I t was impossible, and he had no hesitation in saying that it was not the sample left by Mr.Errington on the 20th ultimo. Mr. Benson here asked defendant what he had to say after such evidence. He replied that he was positive that the bottle of milk he handed into the court or1 the 3rd instant was the same his wife received from Errington on the 20th ultimo. All former samples were destroyed as soon as he knew no proceedings were taken against him.He called his wife to support his statement, when Mr. Benson said that after haaring the evidence of Mr. Errington and Dr. Bernays, he was satisfied that Defendant had committed a gross fraud on the Court, as well a8 the Government analyst, by handing in a sample of milk which had been left with him on a previous occasion, He therefore fined him 210, and 321 13s.costs. At the Leek Police Session, before Joshua Brough, John Brough, J. Robinson, and Hugh Sleigh, Esqs., Mr. Wil!iam Tunnicliffe, grocer, of Lognor, was charged by Major Knight, inspector under the Act, with having sold two ounces of mustard, which article was not of the nature and quality demanded. Mr. Broun, of Stock port, appeared for the defendant.William Gifford, the inspector’s assistant, stated that on August 3rd he visited the defendant’s shop and was supplied witb two ounces of mustard, for which he paid 29d. He then informed the defendant that he had purchased it with the intention of having it analysed by the public analyst. Major Knight put in a certificate from Mr. E. W. T. Jones, the county analyst, to the effect that the mustard contained only 72 per cent.of real mustard, and that the remaining 28 per cent. was chiefly wheat flour and a little turmeric. Mr. Broun said that the mustard supplied to the informant was manufactured by Messrs. Cclman, of Norwich, and they had instructed him to appear on behalf of the defendant. Mustard was asked for. There were different kinds of mustard.There was the pure and simple flour of the mustard seed, and there was a mustard which was a condiment-mustard mixed with flour and turmeric. He took exception to the form of Mr. Jones’s certificate. There was a form prescribed by the Act of Parliament in which these certificates should be made out, and this form had not been adopted, The magistrates, after a short consultation, decided to dismiss the case on the technical question raised by Mr.Brow of ?he form of the certificate. At Cardiff Police Court, before the Mayor, Alderman Taylor, and Alderman Alexander, Mr. J. Roes, grocer, Grange Town, Cardiff, was summoned for refusing to supply police constable James with pepper for the purpose of analysis. The constable, who is employed on detective duty, said that on Saturday he went to the shop of the defendant and asked to be supplied with two ounces of pepper.The defeudant replied that he had no pure pepper in stock, only a mixture. The constable then asked for two ounces of whatever kind the defendant had, and placed money upon the counter for pajment of the article. The The seal was on the cork, but did not touch the bottle.He found it to contain 25 per cent, of added water. He could appeal if he thought proper. This was not a case which was contemplated by the Act.368 THE ANALYST. defendant upon this said, bbYou have been bested once Nr. James, and I shall refuse to supply YOU with the pepper.” The Bench characterised the offence of the defendant as serious, and said he would be fiued 40s.and costs. At the Gainsborough Police Court, on Tuesday, Catherine Metcalfe, of Corringham, was charged with having sold coffee adulterated with chicory and sugar. Superintendent Veitch bought a quarter of a pound of coffee a t defendant’s shop, and an analysis showed 17 per cent. of sugar, besides chicory. Defendant said the coffee tin contained the words ‘6 chicory and coffee,” and she said i t was SO a t the time.TWO or three ounces sometimes represented her weekly sale, and she sold it as she bought it. Fined 10s. and costs, At the Malton Sessions, on Saturday last, Mr, Linda11 Anderson, grocer, &c., of Old Malton, was charged by Superintendent Park, inspector under the Food and Drugs Act, with selling sweet spirits of nitre, which, according to the analysis of Mr.Fairley, of Leeds, contained 46 per cent. of water, but no appreciable quantity of nitrous ether, the article on which its medicinal value entirely depended. The defence was that the nitre was sold in the same state as when procured froin a wholesale druggist’s firm, and also that defendant told the inspector that it was diluted. Superintendent Park denied that this was said until after he warned defendant that he was about to have the c b sweet nitre ” analyscd.Defendant was fined the mitigated penalty of 10s. and 8s. costs, which he paid, remarking that he should expect the wholesale firm to refund him the amount. At Bow street, William Pitt Hitchman. 5, Museum Street, Bloomsbury, dairyman, was summoned for selling milk adulterated with water.The milk had been bought by Inspector Hoyle for the purpose of analysis, and this fact constituted the defendant’s case. He did not deny that the milk was adulterated, but argued that under the Act it was necessary that the sale of the adulterated article should have been 6 b to the prejudice ” of the purchaser. A Scotch case in which it was said the Judges of Appeal had decided that this was the correct reading of the Act, was referred to in support of this argument.Sir James Ingham admitted that everything turned upon the exact meaning of these words in the Act, b b to the prejudice of the purchaser,” and said he remembered reading the Scotch case referred to, There was also a recent case, in which the Lord Chief Justice of England had, as he remembered, made some observations, rather bearing out the decision of the Scotch Judges.He should refer to both these cases during the remand. Mr. Poland appeared for the prosecution, and produced the Euglish case referred to by Sir James Ingham. In that case, “ Sandy v. Small,” it was decided that when the purchaser knew the thing he was buying was adulterated, he was not “prejudiced” so as to bring the sale of the adulterated article within the meaning of the Act.The learned counsel argued that in the present case, a!though the inspector suspected the milk to be adulterated, he had no actual knowledge of that fact. Sir James Ingham said he should again adjourn the case. The matter was one of great importance, for it seemed to him that if the Scotch ruling was upheld the whole Act of Parliament would be made nonsense ; if so they would require a new Act.-l%nes.ADULTERATED BEER.-Richard Eolmes, landlord of the Warwick Arms, Snow Hill, Birmingham, was summoned for selling beer adulterated with salt. Mr. Neville (instructed by Mr. Ansell) defended. Nr. F. hooker, sanitary inspector, said that on the 21th of August he bought some beer a t the defendant’s house, stating at the time that he was going to have it analysed.He divided it into three parts, OM of which he left at the house, and another he handed to the borough analyst. Dr. Hill, the borough analyst, said he had analysed the beer and found it to contain an excessive quantity of salt-94 grains to the gallon. Such an amount of salt was unnecessary and was injurious, inasmuch as it provoked thirst and incited to drink.Mr. Neville contended that the amount of salt was not excessive, stating that the excise authorities allowed 50 grains. He also urged that as the beer had not been bought by Mr. Booker for conmmption the defendant could not in the words of the Act, be gnilty of selling adulterated beer to the prejudice of the purchaser.He cited a case in which it had been decided that unless the beer was bought for consumption the prosecution must fail. Mr. Lowe said the question they had t:, decide was whether the quantity of salt was excessive. Ninety-four grains did appear to them to be a quantity of salt, which in the direction suggested by the analyst, would be injurious to health, as provoking undue thirst. The objection raised by Mr. Neville they should pass over. They had to deal with the case in a common sense way, and should fine the defendant 20s. and costs. Mr. Neville asked for a case for the superior courts. Mr. Lowe : We are bound to do that if you desire it. Mr. Fitter : There are two or three cases pending now. ANALYSIS OF WINE.-M. Boussingault, director of the laboratory of the Agricultural Institute a t Vincennes, is charged by the Minister of Agriculture to submit to analysis the various types of wines exhibited a t the Exhibition. This investigation will include about ten thousand specimens of wines produced from all the wine-growing countries of the two hemispheres. M. Boussingault will be assisted by his son in this laborious and interesting work.--Brewer’s Glcardian. He mas liable to a fine of $10.

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300367

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC

摘要:

THE ANALYST. 363 NOTES OF THE MONTH. We quote the following from the Lancet ;- The Newport (Isle of Wigbt) Town Council having received a letter from the Local Government Board inquiring upon what grounds they had arrived a t the conclusion that there was no necessity for the appointment of a Public Analyst, decided that a reply be given to the effect that their conclusion was based on the fact that, as to prosecutions under the Adulteration of Food and Drugs Act, the law had been rendered inoperative by the judges, who had decided that adulteration was not to the prejudice of the purchaser, who purchased for the mere purpose of prosecuting the seller.We cannot help thinking that when the Local Government Board finds such an impression as this getting abroad among Town Councils-and it is by no means an unusual impression, even in places where an analyst has been appointed-it is time the President thought of preparing a Bill for next session to remedy this and other existing defects in the present Act.I n another coIumn will be found the report of a case heard before M i . Benson, at the Southwark Police Court, which strongly illustrates the perils to which the reputation of a Public Analyst is every day exposed by the fraudulent tampering with duplicate samples.Happily in this instance the fraudulent act recoiled upon the head of the offender, and the strict lesson read by the infliction of a fine of $10 may deter other tradesmen from trying the same game. Analysts must be careful to see that whenever a, tradesman’s sample is sent to Somerset House the inspector’s duplicate shall also invariably accompany it. The case is also satisfactory inasmuch as it is one of the first in which the analyst’s certificate has actually agreed with that of the Government chemists. Will Dr.Bernays kindly for the benefit of his confreres give us his figures, and those found by the Court of Appeal, so that we may publish both, and get to the bottom of the allowance €or decomposition in milk made by the latter ? No class of men could possibly have a greater interest in haring questions of disputed nomenclature authoritatively settled than Public Analysts, and with no section of traders does this seem mom difficult than with pharmacists.In that trade it is distinctly the interest of wholesome houses to perpetuate misnomers under the shadow of which they can vend inferior articles, and so appear to their customers as “cheap” houses.We have had at various times most acrimonious attacks made upon analysts who have, in the discharge of‘ their duty, been obliged to certify that ‘‘ sweet spirits of nitre ” contained no nitrous ether, because we are told that sweet spirits of nitre does not mean spiritus wtheris nitrosi B.P., as commonly supposed by medical men and the public.Another striking feature of a similar nature was milk of sulphur ” containing two- thirds of its weight of calcium sulphate and held by the trade, and even by some of those who from their position ought to teach the trade, to be quite a different article to the pure sulphur prec@itatum B.P., for which it is undoubtedly and unblushingly sold.Then again we have ‘( white precipitate,” of course hydrargyrum ammoniatzcm B.P. says the medical man who orders his patient to buy some and use it, but there he is wrong3’10 THE ANALYST. again, it is not that article but diarnmonium mercuric chloride, containing about one-half of the proper amount of its expensive ingredient, namely mercury.Descending from drugs to cosmetics sold by the same trade we do not even then escape this mass of mystifications, as we suddenly learn that (( violet powder,” supposed by all to be scented starch, is not so, but is powdered steatite, selenite, or any other cheap mineral the vendor chooses to put up in a packet, add a little perfume, and label it violet powder.” I n the face of all this, it is encouraging to find our favourite enemy, the Chemist and Druggist speaking out boldly for once, forgetting the delinquencies of analysts to urge on the mineral water trade the definite abandonment of the name soda water.It is well known that for years no mauufacturer has produced true soda water, but has simply bottled up water charged with carbonic acid, and sold it under that name.It appears that ten years ago before its vision was blinded by the analyst ” bogie, this really representative trade journal declared against the misnomer, and it now repeats its remarke. It gives an excellent suggestion that advertising makers of aerated water might even make popular capital out of the truth by selling “Blank’s pure super- carbonated water, guaranteed to contain no alkalies, but to be prepared from pure water and carbonic acid.” The truth is sure to prevail, and honesty is the best policy, and then ;f itpays as well, what a splendid thing it ought to be.But joking apart, Public Analysts should melcorne this suggestion, which if adopted, would free them from at least one source of periodical abuse.The loss of the Princess Alice has suggested to some persons that many of the unfortunate sufferers died poisoned by the foul water off Beckton, instead of by actual drowning. It is in the play of Faust, we think, that a certain eminent character, in answer to the hero’s remark made, after killing Valentine, to the effect that it was not duel, but murder, says, “ you make a delicate distinction where there is so little difference,” and it is to be feared that, pure or impure, the unfortunate persons died from imbibing water. However, even such melancholy events do good in calling attention to the state of the river, and the aaalyw8 ordered by the Woolwich Local Board will be perused with much interest by the public.I n reply to a query from a correspondent as to whether the use of alum in baking powder would render the manufacturer liable to any penalty under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, the Chemist and Druggist s a p :-“ It would be bold to say that analysts will not bring such a case forward, but with our present light we certainly see very little chance of a succesful prosecution in such an event.’’ It is to be hoped that makers of such compounds will soon obtain a little more light, because if a man be not directlyTHE ANALYST.371 punishable for putting into a substance t o be used for the making of bread, a chemical which is held to be an adulteration when found in that article, all we can say is, that law and justice would in this case be widely divorced. Certainly a baker who happeued to be fined through the use of such a powder would have his remedy against the manufacturer. The Chemist and Druggist had better order his cook to select an alumed powder for making all his household bread and pastry, and then after a year publish the result of its action on his alimentary organs.Not that for a moment we mean to suggest the following up of the dictum fiat experimenturn, &,, because that would be both rude and vulgar.We noticed the other day that an analyst of good repute had signed a letter as Y.Z., F.I.C. Now whatever meaning the gentleman referred t o may attach to these letters, it is only right to point out that they do not constitute a legalor even a recognised title, and that i f certificates so signed should unfortunately be produced in court, it would be found that the lawyers did not care a F I G for such a handle to a name, and would soon make its value like the Institute-‘‘ limited.” Patentees are suffering just now from one of the periodical attacks to which the This time it has taken the form of electric fever, and specifications are We class are subject. being filed for improvements in the electric light, at the rate of about one per day.fear a very small percentage will survive the payment of the $50 tax. It is, however, very satisfactory to know that official trials are to be made in London of this means of lighting, and that the Corporation, who generally take a bold course in such matters, have decided to try not only one, bnt several of the systems which have been proposed of late.Some of the open spaces in London streets will afford admirable opportunities for such experiments. The members of the Society of Public Analysts should pay special attention to the next meeting. Some important decisions must then be come to, as t o the representations to be made to Government on the alterations necessary in the Sale of Food and Drugs Act.It ie far too common to leave the executiye of a society to settle such matters and then undertake the work, but if public analysts are not sufficiently interested in the matter to point out defects which have been found in their own experience, they can scarcely ex- pect people to pay much attention to complaints after the event. ANALYST’S APPOINTMENT.-The appointment of an analyst for Dorsetshire, under the Food and Drugs Act, 1875, was, at the Quarter Sessions recently, the subject of some discussion ; Lord Portman presiding on the occasion, and Lord Shaftesbury being also present.The committee previously appointed to consider the qnestion reported that they had received an application from Mr. Comyns Leach, of Sturminster ; and they suggested that the borough authorities would do well to concur in the appointment of that gentleman.The chairman said the Local Government Board had intimated their approval of Mr. Comyns Leach’s appointment by the county, and it was agreed to communicate with the boroughs on the subject, so that at the next sessions the matter might be settled. The Synod of Salisbury diocese petitioned the Court to appoint an analyst in the interests of temperance, the adulteration of beer and spirits being “injurious to the health and well-being of the public.” The memorialists also represented tbat such adulteration was carried on t o no small extent.The memorial was laid on the table, and a laugh was caused by Lord Portman remarking that it so hnppeacd that water was specially exempted by the Act from anal ysie.372 THE ANALYST .RECENT CHENICAL PATENTS . The following specifications have been published during the past month. and can be -. obtained from the Great Seal Office. Cursitor Street. Chancery Lane. London . 1878 . N O . Name of Patentee . 804 P . S . Brown . . . . . . 816 J . Mactear . . . . . . 861 T . F . Scott . . . . . . 878 W . R .Lake . . . . . . 886 F . Werth . . . . . . 891 J . Birrow . . . . . . 904 S . H . Parkes . . . . . . 915 B . C . Spalding . . . . . . 921 T . Muir . . . . . . . . . 924 E . Hopcroft . . . . . 929 P . Dronier . . . . . . 934 J . B . Mackey & J . Sellers Title of Patent . ... Obtaining Sulphate of Ammonia from Ammoniacal Liquors Utilizing Lye Products of Soda and Potash Manufactures ...Apparatus for Producing Electric Light . . . . . . . . . ... ... Manufacture of Celluloid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Purifying Gum, Resinous Oils. &c . . . . . . . . . . ... Manufacturing dmmoniacal Salts . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Microscopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transmitting Power by Electric Currents . . . . . . . . . ... Treatment of Wheat in the Manufacture of Wheaten Semolina.Meal, and Flour . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Filtering Water and Purifying the Animal Charcoal ... ... Electric Lamp Lighting Apparatus . . . . . . . . . ... Soap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Prlce 6d. 4d. 2d. 1/0 4d. 4d. 2d. 6d. 4d. 6d. 2d. 2d. 945 C . B . Cooper & C . W . Sniith ... 955 G . W . Yon Mawrocki .. . . . . Soap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2d . Manufacture of Sulphur from Soda Residues. &c . . 4d . 1021 H . and C . H . Hills . . . . . . Treatment of Cupreous Pyrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1101 J. Moad . . . . . . . . . . . . Mdnufacture of Iron and Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1084 W . J . Blinkhorn . . . . . . Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid .. . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1112 T . J . Smith . . . . . . . . . Processes for Removing Moisture from Substances ... 6d . 1117 FV . L . Wise . . . . . . . . . Producing Dyes from Products of Madder and Tar ... 4d . 1129 A . Browne . . . . . . . . . Destroying Vegetable Matter or Burl contained in Dyed Animal Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1131 J . Holloway . .. . . . . . Producing Sulphur from Pyrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 4d . 1156 W . L . Wise . . . . . . . . . Production of Sulphate of Ammonia from the Nitrogen of Marshy Moors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10d . 1148 W . E . Newton . . . . . . . . . Manufacturing Sulphocyanides and Ferrocyanides ... 6d . 1156 T . Greenwood & T . C . Redman ... Refrigerating Chambers for Preserving Meat .. . . . . 8d . 1186 C . N . May . . . . . . . . . Treating Oily and Fatty Matters . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . 1201 R . Messel . . . . . . . . . Production of Monohydrated Sulphuric Acid . . . . . . 2d . 1224 G . F . Redfern . . . . . . . . . Aqueous Solutions of Tannin or Tanning Ooze . . . . . . 4d . 1623 J . Pintsch & J . Schulke Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . 1706 H . Simon . . . . . . . . . Process and Apparatus for Developing Bromine . . . . . . 6d . 2069 R . S . Ripley . . . . . . . . . Manufacture of Gas for Heating, &c . . . . . . . . . . 66 . 2213 E . J Curbett . . . . . . . . Removing and Destroying Gases from Sewers . . . . . . 4d . 2217 W . R . Lake . . . . . . . . . Manufacture of Tablets, Cakes, or Blocks of Camphor ... 2d . 3109 S . Pitt . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaporating Saline Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 6d . ... Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Lights by 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 Miller; The Anti-Adulteration Review ; Journal of Applied Science; The Boston Journal of Chemistry; The Dairyman; The hmericau Dairyman; The Practitioner.

ISSN:0003-2654    

DOI:10.1039/AN8780300369

出版商:RSC    

年代:1878

数据来源: RSC