Health Department by J. H. K.

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 15, 1875

Health Department.

By J. H. K.

Death in the Sirup Jug.

A FEW months ago we called attention to some of the villainous adulterations practiced by manufacturers of sirup. It will be seen by the following paragraph from the Western Rural that the public is becoming somewhat aroused upon this subject. As previously stated, a convenient test for the spurious article is to pour a little into a cup of tea which will become black. Here is the article which appears under the heading given above.

J. H. K.

"Probably there are very few articles of daily consumption which are not adulterated in a more or less vile manner. One of the most scoundrelly impositions that unscrupulous rascals practice upon a long-suffering public is the scandalous compound sold as sugar sirup. It is asserted that nearly fifty per cent. of the articles sold under the seductive names of golden sirup, silver drips, etc., is a rank poison, formed by the action of sulphuric acid upon some of the substances containing the essential material of wood fiber. The quantity of sulphuric acid used to form sugar by this process is so great that it cannot be thoroughly extracted from the product. It leaves enough to be dangerous even to the stomachs of robust men—excessively so to the more delicate organizations of children, who use far more of the article than grown persons.

"Since public attention has been called to this rascality, many instances have come to light of mysterious sicknesses which disappeared on the use of this breakfast dainty being discontinued. Severe burning pains at the stomach and racking headaches are among the lighter symptoms of sirup-poisoning. A case is mentioned where the cork in a keg of sirup, sent for the use of a lumberman's camp was found to be nearly eaten away. Fancy a vile drug which will corode cork, gnawing away at the coats of one's stomach.

"Fortunately, the detection of the pernicious stuff is easy. A small quantity of muriate or nitrate of baryta, mixed with water makes a clear solution. If to this be added a small quantity of sulphuric acid a white precipitate is formed, which is insoluble in water. Tannin also gives a black precipitate, unless the acid has been neutralized by albumen.

"If any of our readers have reason for looking upon their matutinal syrup with suspicion let them at once take a sample to a chemist and have it analyzed. If found to be dangerous, let the makers and retailers be prosecuted with the same vigor that wholesale murderers would meet with."