SOCIETY OF PUBLIC ANALYSTS. Analyses of English Public Water Supplies in April, 1881. Phosphoric Albuminoid Ammonia. 2 mins. at 80° 4 hours One sample is from the Upper and one from the Lower part of the town. Description of SOCIETY OF PUBLIC ANALYSTS. Analyses of English Public Water Supplies in April, 1881. Appearance in Smell when heated to 100° Fahr. Chlorides. Chlorine as Phosphoric Acid as Phosphates. Nitrogen as Nitrates. Ammonia. Albuminoid Ammonia. Nottingham greenish blue none 2.13 traces 1.590 traces traces 0018 0740 0800 16.2° 4.7° 20.70 none 4.20 colourless .... none •85 none •400 0010 0016 none 0360 2.8° 2.6° 4.30 clear none 1.19 trace 290 trace 0031 none 0518 15.1° 6.0° 17.50 (v. f. turbid no colour none 1.69 h. traces •310 0028 0042 0112 0210 8.5° 7.8° 14.00 0014 0049 none ⚫0660 4.8° 4.5° 5.31 22.1° 4.5° 25.40 15.2° 4.7° 19.80 .... Swansea s. turbid none .90 trace ...... Whitehaven clear faint green Worcester s. turbid } none 3.70 trace 250 0021 0030 0020 none 9.6° 3.7° 25.00 2.5° 12.6° 6.7° 21.56 0070 0084 0910 17.0° 6.9° 24.08 0014 0056 0171 19.0° 6.8° 0010 0028 0123 20.0° 8.5° 35.80 satisfactory M. A. Adams. J. Pattinson. W. G. Crook. 12.5° 28-80 vegetable deb. mycelium Wigner & Harland. 3.8° 5.68 satisfactory none satisfactory vegetable debris peaty matter Abbreviations:-c., clear; f., faint; h., heavy; p., pale; v. h., very heavy; v. s., very slight. ERRATA.-In the March Table, the Oxygen of the RUGBY water absorbed in 2 mins. should have been 0140, in 4 hours 0704; and the Oxygen of the STOCKPORT water absorbed in 2 mins. should have been 0028, in 4 hours ⚫0092. another sample of milk from the farm, from the same cow from which the previous sample was supposed to have been taken. A second sample was accordingly obtained by arrangement and analysed by the public analyst who reported that the milk was probably "fore milk," and had been deprived of at least twenty per cent. of its cream. On receipt of this certificate the magistrates thought that some tampering with the cow had taken place, and with the view of removing all possible doubt as to the genuineness of the milk, instructed their Inspector to revisit the farm, without giving the farmer notice of his intended visit, and to procure a sample from the same cow. The Inspector accordingly revisited the farm and obtained another sample of the milk as directed. On this sample being analysed in this department, the amount of fat was found even less than before, while the "solids not fat" and the ash were practically the same. It was, therefore evident that the cow yielded milk of a low quality, and the case is quoted as showing the care which is necessary in reporting upon the analysis of a natural product like milk, the composition of which varies so much. Complaints having been made as to the quality of the ink supplied for use by the Stationery Office, the subject was referred to us by that department for investigation and report. We found that the ink in use was not a pure nutgall ink, and that it soon became thick and clogged the pen. After numerous experiments we recommended the adoption of an ink made entirely from nutgalls, iron, and gum. Such an ink runs freely from the pen, and although pale when first used it soon deepens on exposure to an intense and permanent black. The examination of postage and other stamps with reference to the adoption of colouring matters which cannot be tampered with without detection has formed a part of our work during the year. It is well known that the pigment of the old penny postage stamps became hard by age, and that by certain solvents it was possible to remove the obliterating marks and thus render the stamps available for use a second time. In a new contract which was about to be entered into for such stamps it was made essential that they should be surface printed, and that the colouring matter should be what is known as "doubly fugitive." The adoption of the cheaper process of surface printing rendered practicable the use of colouring matters much more fugitive than hitherto. After careful investigation the stamps now in use were adopted, not only for their superiority in fugitiveness of colour, but also in quality of gum and excellence of workmanship. Forty-seven cases have been attended by the analysts from this department, and penalties amounting in the aggregate to £1,288 10s. have been awarded. A conviction. ensued in every case, except one, aud in this case the chemical witness was not examined. Two of the cases were heard under the Summary Jurisdiction Act, which came into operation on the 1st of January last, and are interesting as showing penalties of £200 and £2 10s. respectively for practically similar offences. Our experience has, however, as yet been too limited for any general conclusion to be drawn as to the effect which this Act is likely to have upon the security of the revenue. Twenty-nine examiners have received the usual course of instruction. Six students completed their course of instruction during the year, and at the final examination by Dr. Frankland four received first class certificates and two second-class certificates, but it is only just to one of the latter to say that his course of study was materially interfered with by serious personal illness. COFFEE AND CHICORY. Six samples have been examined, all of which were legally genuine, with the exception of one which contained ground date stones. BEER. Under this head, which includes keer and materials used for its adulteration, a very large number of samples have been examined during the year. Several officers, acting frequently upon private information, have visited a large number of publicans in London, and wherever they suspected the existence of fraudulent practices, they took samples for analysis, and it is but just to these officers to say, that, as a rule, the samples were taken with great judgment, and that the analysis in a very large majority of the cases confirmed their suspicions. It is quite evident from the admissions made by the publicans to these officers, and from the results of the examination of these samples, that the addition of sugar to beer prevails very extensively, if not universally, among the publicans in the metropolis. Several publicans were detected twice within the course of a few weeks, while others candidly admitted that it was their usual practice to add a saccharine solution to their beer, and especially to their porter. Out of a total of 673 samples examined, there were 526 to which sugar had been illegally added, or which consisted of materials intended to be used for the adulteration of beer. BAKING POWDERS IN THE UNITED STATES. ALUM BAKING POWDERS IN COURT. INTERESTING TESTIMONY OF SCIENTIFIC MEN. Within the past two years a bitter controversy has been waged between manufacturers, on account of the use of alum as a cheap substitute for cream of tartar by many manufacturers of baking powders. The handsome profits yielded by using the substitute have induced dealers as well as manufacturers to push them into the hands of consumers, sometimes under definite brands, frequently by weighing out in bulk without any distinguishing name. Are such powders wholesome? The Royal Baking Powder Co., who make a cream of tartar baking powder, declared that they are injurious to the public health, while others who make alum powders claim that they are not. The whole matter as to the effects of these alum powders has finally been brought into the courts, and the case was tried in the Superior Court of New York city before Chief Justice Sedgwick, reported substantially as follows in the New York Sun. The suit of Dr. Henry A. Mott against Jabez Burns, has brought to light the fact that this country produces at least forty-two different kinds of baking powders. Neither Burns nor Mott has been found guilty of making the baking powders, but Burns, who is the editor of a periodical called the Spice Mill, has been severely mulcted for libel in his efforts to make his paper spicy. Dr. Mott, it appears, is a chemist, and was at one time employed by the United States Government to analyse different specimens of baking powder which had been recommended for adoption to the Indian Bureau. Dr. Mott reported in favour of the cream of tartar baking powders for the Indians, and against the alum baking powders. The chemist analysed forty-two kinds of baking powders. The jury were out about half-an-hour. They came in with a verdict awarding Dr. Mott 8,000 dols., to which the Court made an additional allowance of 150 dols. As the public have a large interest in the wholesomeness of whatever it is called upon to use as food, the following extracts are introduced from the testimony of some of the prominent men as to the injurious effects of alum powders : Dr. Mott: I was employed as chemist by the United States Government to analyse all, the articles of food; to express an opinion as to the analysis of their healthfulness and purity. I examined baking powders. It would be difficult to remember them all; I could refer to my books; I examined twenty-eight powders; was given sixteen at first. And among the powders included was Dooley's Baking Powder," the "Charm," and "Patapsco." I found alum in Dooley's, "Patapsco," " Charm," Queen," "Vienna," 66 99 66 "Orient," " Amazon," "Lake Side," "Twin Sisters," Superlative," "King," 66 66 "White Lily," 'Monarch," "One Spoon," "Regal," "Imperial," "Honest," "Economical," "Excelsior," "Chartres," 'Grant's," 66 Giant." It is my opinion, based upon actual experiments on living animals, that alum in these various compounds, in baking powders such as I have examined, is injurious. 66 Dr. Charles F. Chandler, called on behalf of the plaintiff, testified as follows:-I reside in the City of New York. My business is that of a chemist. I am, and have been Professor of Chemistry in several colleges. I am at present Professor of Chemistry in the Academic Department of Columbia College; the School of Mines, Columbia College; the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the New York College of Pharmacy. I am President, also, of the Board of Health. I have had frequent occasion to examine the question of wholesomeness of food, and the beneficial or injurious effects of its ingredients. There is an injurious constituent left after the mixture of alum and bicarbonate of soda in a baking powder. I think it is dangerous to the digestive organs, and liable to produce serious disturbance of the liver of the individual making use of such powders. Henry Morton, President of Stevens Institute, testified as follows:-I am President of Stevens' Institute. I have for many years been a chemist. I have had occasion to examine the substances which are used in the composition of baking powders. Some time ago I examined a sample of Dooley's Baking Powder. It contained potash alum. I did make an extract of that alum, to show the kind. I extracted a large quantity of it as potash alum, and it is in that bottle which I have now here [showing bottle]; that is potash alum which came out of the alum baking powder that was in that can. I took a portion of this powder and mixed it with flour in the directed proportions, and baked a small loaf with it; then I soaked this loaf-the interior part of it-in cold water, and made an extract, in which I readily detected, by the usual tests, alum—that is, alumina in a soluble condition. Q. Does any baking powder in which any alumina salts enter, contain alumina, in your opinion, which can be absorbed in the process of digestion-are not such objectionable? A. Very decidedly objectionable, in my opinion. Q. Why do you say-from what system of reasoning do you make it out-that because alum is injurious, alumina is injurious? A. Because the injurious effects of alumina, when it gets into the stomach and reacts on the organs, are the same; this hydrate of alumina meets in the stomach the gastric juices, and reacts with them the same as alum would; it forms, in fact, a kind of alum in the stomach with those acids, and whatever alum would do, it would do. Dr. Samuel W. Johnson, Professor of Chemistry in the Scientific School, Yale College, testified as follows:-I have had much to do in the examination of substances that enter into food, and the adulteration of food? Q. After the use of alum with soda, in a baking powder, in your opinion, is there any injurious substance left? A. In my opinion, there is an injurious substance left. Q. What, sir, two years ago, was the prevailing opinion among scientific men, as to the effect of the use of alum in baking powders? A. As far as my acquaintance with scientific men is concerned, my personal opinion is derived from my investigation and from reading; I should think the opinion was that alum, or any compound of alumina, would be decidedly injurious. Q. Do I understand you to say that any baking powder in which there are aluminous salts, or any resultant from alum which could be absorbed in digestion, is objectionable and injurious ? A. Extremely so. Prof. Joseph H. Raymond testified as follows: I am a physician and professor of physiology. I have been for some time Sanitary Superintendent in Brooklyn. Q. Now, sir, I will ask you your opinion, from this experience, whether the use of alum with soda, in a baking powder, is injurious or not, in its physiological effects? A. I consider it to be dangerous. Q. You examined this question for the Board of Health in Brooklyn, some years ago. What was the result of your investigation as to the use of alum in baking powder? A. The result of my investigation at the time was this: that the changes which took place between the time that alum baking powder was put in the bread, and the time the bread was eaten, the chemical changes were so little understood by chemists, that as a physician and physiologist, I considered it a dangerous experiment. Dr. Mott, the Government chemist, in his review on the subject in the Scientific American, makes |