The Romance of Modern Chemistry

CHAPTER XXIII THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD THE chemist’s imitation of Nature, as shown in the previous chapter, has led to results of marvellous interest and practical value, but in some cases, unfortunately, the imitation practised at the present time has an unworthy object. Just as there are some individuals who devote their chemical knowledge to the manufacture of bombs and infernal machines, so there are others who engage in the objectionable practice of adulterating food. There have always been knaves ready to defraud the public, and the adulteration of food is no new thing. We have evidence on record that in past centuries bread, wine, butter, and drugs were all liable to adulteration. Things are bad enough now, but if one were to judge from a certain booklet published in the beginning of last century, the old days were even worse. This striking pamphlet has for part of its title—“ Deadly Adulteration and Slow Poisoning, and Death in the Pot and the Bottle; in which the blood-empoisoning and life-destroy- ing adulterations of wines, spirits, beers, bread, flour, tea, sugar, spices, cheesemongery, pastry, confectionery, medi- cines, &c., are laid open to the public,” and the author expresses himself occasionally in the gloomiest terms regarding the state of matters in his day. “ Bread,11 he says, “ turns out to be a crutch to help us onward to 260