A few words on adulteration.

  • Postgate, John, 1820-1881.
Date:
[1857]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A few words on adulteration. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    E public will remember the preceding Parliament granted the ointment of a Select Committee, to enquire into the Adidteration bod, Drinks, and Drugs. This Committee, moved for and presided • by Mr. Scholefield, sat during two Sessions; on it were gentle- 1 connected with trade, Avhilst many of its members are distinguished their acumen, and were numbered amongst the most eminent mem- 3 of that Parliament—lords and gentlemen accustomed to examine, probe, and weigh evidence—every witness examined, willing or ;'-illing, testified before this Committee more or less to the preval- 5 of adulteration; many pointed out the injury done to the public tlth by it, and also the danger necessarily arising from the adulter- n of drugs. The facts thus elicited were published in nearly all the newspapers, circulated throughout the empii'e, exciting universal attention; r duly weighing the evidence, the Conamittee arrived at the con- iion, that adulteration widely and extensively prevailed in food and : gs, attributing much of the prevalent intoxication to the contami- ion of drinks with narcotics and other noxious agents, and deciding t it was desirable means should be resorted to to put a stop to the ctice. Much of the information brought out during this investiga- 1 was of a scientific character—related to the objects of adulteration, the employment and uses of agents in the practice of it—and is cal- ated, unless some stringent steps of repression are shortly taken, by !mng the floodgates of knowledge to fraud, materially to increase the 1- Again, taking as an example the common adulteration of bread ;h alum, the dishonest trader is enlightened, not only as to the effects this substance in enhancing to him the value of inferior and un- ind flour, but also as to the quantity which would lead to his ■eclion, by deranging the stomachs of his confiding customers and Jnds.