100

THE

ANALYTICAL SANITARYCOMMISSION.

RECORDS OF THE RESULTS OF

MICROSCOPICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSESOF THE

SOLIDS AND FLUIDS

CONSUMED BY ALL CLASSES OF THE PUBLIC.

"Forewarned, forearmed."

SUGAR,ITS IMPURITIES AND ADULTERATIONS.

(Continued from p. 79.)

WE will now proceed to relate the results obtained by theexamination of samples of refined or lump sugar.RESULTS OF THE MICROSCOPICAL AND CHEMICAL EXAMINATION

OF FIFTEEN SAMPLES OF LUMP-SUGAR OF DIFFERENT QUALI-TIES AND PRICES.

The quantity of sugar submitted to examination in eachcase was about half-an-ounce.

There were noticed in sample- ,

37. A considerable number of starch granules; flocculi ofanimal matter; a great many fragments of woody fibre.

38. Much starch, partly in lumps, visible to the naked eye;flocculi of animal matter; a great many minute pieces ofwoody fibre.

39. A few starch granules; flocculi of animal matter; manypieces of woody fibre; a little grape-sugar.

40. A few starch granules ; several masses of starch and

potato-cells, filled with granules; flocculi of animalmatter; a great many chips or minute fragments ofwood.

41. A considerable number of starch granules; and severalmasses of starch visible to the naked eye; flocculi ofanimal matter; a few pieces of woody fibre only.

42. A few starch granules; one or two pieces of starch; flocculiof animal matter; several fragments of woody fibre.

43. Very few starch granules; a considerable number offragments of woody fibre; traces of grape-sugar.

44. A few starch granules; a dozen fragments or so of woodyfibre.

45. A few starch granules; two or three cells of potato;hundreds of fragments of woody fibre, forming at thebottom of the glass a sediment of saw-dust.

46. A few starch granules, and one or two aggregations ofgranules; a very great many pieces of woody fibre; tracesof grape-sugar.

47. A few granules of starch; flocculi of animal matterabundant; two or three dozen fragments of woody fibre.

48. A small number of starch granules; one or two aggre-gations of granules; a few microscopic fragments, orchips of wood,

49. A considerable number of starch granules; several potatocells; flocculi of animal matter; a few fragments ofwoody fibre.

50. A few starch granules; a little animal matter; a veryfew fragments of woody fibre.

51. Starch granules rather numerous; several cells of potatofilled with granules of starch; flocculi of animal matterabundant.

From an examination of this tabla it appears-

lst. That in none of the sugars were fragments of canepresent; these having been separated by the filtrationthrough charcoal to which sugar in process of refinementis subjected.

2nd. That in no case were acari observed.3rd. That in three of the sugars only were traces of grape-

sugar to be detected.4th. That in none of the sugars were sporules of fungi to be

seen.

5th. That a variable, although small, quantity of flour waspresent in the whole fifteen sugars.

6th. That animal matter was observed in ten cases.

7th. That sawdust-like fragments of woody fibre werepresent in twelve cases, being very abundant in at leastseven of the sugars.

For the presence of even a small quantity of flour in lump-sugar it is not easy to account satisfactorily; and as all wecould say on this point would be conjectural, we shall not atpresent offer any further observations upon it.We are in the same position of uncertainty with respect to

the fragments of woody fibre, but we have elsewhere suggesteda possible use and explanation of their presence in sugar.The animal matter so generally present is no doubt a por-

tion of that used in the clarification of the sugar solution.Contrasting, then, the condition of moist and lump sugar,

as met with in commerce, it is evident that the impuritiesof the former are much greater, and of a more objectionablecharacter, than those of the latter; that while in the onethere are very commonly present the repulsive insects oracari, sporules and filaments of fungi, grape-sugar, albumen,grit, starch and woody fibre, in the other we at least get ridof the acari, fungi, grape-sugar, albumen, and grit; and aresubjected only to the lesser evils-a few starch granules andfragments of woody fibre.We will, in the next place, give the results furnished by

the examination of several samples of brown sugar, the pro-duce of various colonies and countries; we shall thus be in aposition to judge of the state in which many of the sugarsimported into this country arrive.The samples submitted to examination but little exceeded

one drachm.

RESULTS OF THE MICROSCOPICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES OFSAMPLES OF VARIOUS BROWN SUGARS, THE PRODUCE OF

DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.Madras.

Sugar dark, moist, staining the paper; somewhat crystalline,crystals small; some cane; several acari; very few starchgranules; grit; much grape-sugar and vegetable albumen.

Madras.

A few pieces of cane; starch granules; much grit; severalacari and ova; grape-sugar; albumen.

Mauritius.

Much cane; ten or twelve acari, of large size; several ova ofsame; a few starch granules; fragments of woody fibre;grit; much grape-sugar and albumen.

Mauritius.

Some cane; teveral acari ; a few starch granules—those ofarrowroot; grit; grape-sugar; albumen.

Calcutta.

Sugar not very dark, dry; earthy-looking; but few crystalsapparent, and those very small; not much cane; a fewstarch granules; grit; no acari visible; grape-sugar; albu-men.

Calcutta.

Sugar perfectly white, dry, and highly crystalline, resemblingcrushed lump; a few starch granules; no acari, no fungi,no cane, and no grit; scarcely a trace of grape-sugar oralbumen.

Bombay.Sugar exceedingly dark-coloured, earthy, and damp; somecane; a great many starch granules; (sago ?) numerous

acari; much grit; much grape-sugar; albumen.

Cassipore, Calcutta.Sugar pale-straw colour, dry and highly crystalline, large-

grained ; a very few pieces of cane; one small acarus; a fewstarch granules; scarcely a trace of albumen or grape-sugar;a little grit.

Cassipore, Calcutta.Cassipore, Calcutta.Sugar pale straw-colour, not very dry, fine-grained, the crys-

tals being very small; a few pieces of cane; starch granules ;several acari of large size; much grit; a little grape-sugarand albumen.

Jamaica.

Much cane; several acari and ova of same; a few starchgranules; no grit.

Sugar dark-brown, not very dry, but still not staining thepaper; tolerably large-grained and crystalline.

101

Rio de Janeiro.

Much cane; several acari, and ova of same; a great manystarch granules, like those of Indian corn; much grit; grape-sugar and vegetable albumen.On an attentive consideration of the above eleven analyses,

it appears that there are only two sugars which could be fairlyregarded as pure, and in a condition fit for human consump-tion-the white, large-grained Calcutta sugar, resemblingcrushed lump, and the pale straw-coloured, large grained,highly crystalline, Cassipore sugar. Of these samples, thatfrom Calcutta was by far the best.

It would be a great advantage if the above-described sugarscould be introduced in large quantity into this country, andsold at moderate prices.The last analyses which we propose to give are of samples

of sugars procured from the establishments of various grocers.RESULTS OF THE MICROSCOPICAL AND CHEMICAL EXA1.IINATION

OF NUMEROUS BROWN SUGARS, OF ALL QUALITIES AND PRICES,PURCHASED AT THE ESTABLISHMENTS OF VARIOUS GROCERSRESIDENT IN THE METROPOLIS.

The quantity of sugar submitted to analysis in each casewas three drachms.

1st Sample.Purchased-in Gracechurch-street, City.Sugar crystalline and light-coloured; a few fragments of

cane, numerous acari, some alive; sporules of fungi; vege-table albumen; a small quantity of grape-sugar.

2nd Sample.Purchased-at Ludgate-hill.Sugar coarsely crystalline; light-coloured, wetting and

staining the paper in which it was folded considerably;hundreds of acari, numerous ova of same; much caue;sporules of fungi; two or three fragments of wood; a fewstarch granules; grit; vegetable albumen; grape-sugar.

3rd Sa7nple.Purchased-in High-street, Whitechapel.Sugar rather earthy, intermixed with a few minute andshining crystals; a little cane; hundreds of acari; sporulesof fungus; much grit; vegetable albumen; grape-sugar.

4th Sample.Purchased-in Whitechapel-road.Sugar fine-grained, rather light-coloured; numerous frag-ments of cane; several acari, and ova of same; sporules offungi; a few pieces of woody fibre; albumen; grape-sugar.

5th Sample.Purchased-in Whitechapel-road.Sugar scarcely crystalline, presenting an earthy appearance;fragments of cane; hundreds of acari; some alive, andmany ova of same; sporules of fungus; adulterated withtapioca ; albumen; grape-sugar.

6th Sample.Purchased-in Whitechapel-road.Sugar coarsely crystalline, dark coloured,and moist; wettingand staining the paper considerably; compounded evi-dently of two sugars of difFerent colours and qualities, ,,

imperfectly mixed; a few acari; a copious sediment, con-sisting principally of sporules of fungus; a few piecesof woody fibre; albumen; grape-sugar.

’Tt7a Sample.Purchased-in Whitechapel-road.Sugar dark-coloured, not highly crystalline, crystalsminute, paper stained; a great many acari; and ova ofsame; sporules of fungus; one or two pieces of woodyfibre; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

8th Sample.Purchased-in Whitechapel-roa.d.Sugar presenting rather an earthy appearance, but few

crystals being visible, and these very small; numerousfragments of cane; hundreds of cccari; a great manysporules of fungus; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

9th Sample.Purchased-in High-street, Whitechapel.Sugar coarsely crystalline; a great many pieces of cane;numerous acari, several ova of same; sporules of fungus;a few starch granules; grit; albumen; grape-sugar. 1 I

10th Sample.Purchased—in High-street, Whitechapel.Sugar coarsely crystalline; two or three acari, and ova ofsame; much cane; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

11th Sample.Purchased-in Aldgate.Sugar earthy, scarcely at all crystalline, dark; much cane;hundreds of acari; a great many sporules of fungus;several pieces of woody fibre; starch granules; grit;albumen; grape-sugar.

12th Sample.Purchased-in Clare-market.Sugar earthy, scarcely at all crystalline, dark; fragments

of cane; a considerable number of acari; sporules of fungus;granules of starch; grit; grape-sugar; albumen.

13th Sample.Purchased-in Clare-market.Sugar earthy, scarcely at all crystalline; fragments of cane;hundreds of acari, some alive; sporules of fungus; starchgranules; albumen; grape-sugar; grit.

14th <S’6MKp6.Purchased-in Blackmoor-street, Clare-market.Sugar coarsely crystalline, evidently consisting of two

different kinds intermixed; not much cane; a few acari;sporules of fungus; grape-sugar; albumen.

15</t cMMpe.Purchased-in Drury-lane.Sugar earthy, dark; pieces of cane; a considerable number

of acari; ova of same; sporules of fungus; starch granules;grape-sugar; albumen.

16tA Sample.Purchased-in Drury-lane.Sugar earthy, light coloured; much cane; swarming with

acari; sporules of fungus; grape-sugar; albumen.17th Sample.

Purchased-in Drury-lane.Sugar earthy, dark-coloured, evidently consisting of two

different sugars intermixed; fragments of cane; a greatmany acari, sporules of fungus; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

18th Sample.Purchased-in Drury-lane.Sugar earthy, dark-coloured, moist, staining the paper

greatly; fragments of cane; swarming with acari; sporulesof fungus; grape-sugar; albumen.

19th Sample.Purchased-in Drury-lane.Sugar earthy; fragments of cane; an immense number of

acari; numerous ova of same; sporules of fungus; starchgranules a few; woody fibre; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

20th Sample.Purchased--in Drury-lane.Sugar very earthy, dark; adulterated with much potato flour,

containing hundreds of acari; sporules of fungus; frag-ments of cane; grape-sugar; albumen; grit.

21st Sample.Purchased-in Holborn.Sugar rather earthy; light-coloured; fragments of cane;hundreds qf acari; sporules of fungus; grit; grape-sugar;albumen.

22nd Sctntple.Purchased-in New Church-street, Edgeware-road.Sugar earthy, dark; much cane; hundreds of acari; ova ofsame; sporules of fungus; a few starch granules; one ortwo pieces of woody fibre; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

23rd Sample.Purchased-in Edgeware-road.Sugar rather earthy, intermixed with a few! small and

shining crystals; not much cane; swarming with acari;sporules of fungus; albumen; grape-sugar.

24th Sample.Purchased-in Edgeware-road.Sugar coarse-grained, crystalline; fragments of cane; a con-

siderable number of acari; sporules and thallus of fungusgrape-sugar; albumen.

102. _ _ _

25th Sample.Purchased-in Edgeware-road.Sugar rather earthy, formed of two different kinds appa-

rently, and containing fragments of cane; hundreds ofacari; sporules of fungus; albumen; grape-sugar.

26th Sample.Purchased&mdash;in Edgeware-road.Sugar light coloured, rather crystalline, containing frag-

ments of cane; a considerable number of acari; sporules offungus; a few starch granules; albumen; grape-sugar.

2’7t7t Sample.Purchased-in Goodge-street, Tottenham-court-road.Sugar light coloured, crystalline, crystals small; paper a

little stained; fragments of cane; a considerable number ofacari, some alive; sporules and much thallus of fungus; agreat many starch granules, those of West India arrow-root ; grit; albumen; grape-sugar.

28t1a Sample.Purchased-in Broad-street, Bloomsbury.

Sugar somewhat crystalline, crystals small; swarming withacari; sporules of fungus; fragments of cane; a fewstarch granules; one or two pieces of woody-fibre; albu-men ; grape-sugar; grit.

29th Sample.Purchased-in High-street, Marylebone.Sugar earthy, staining the paper slightly; acari by hundreds;

cane; sporules of fungus, a great many; a few starchgranules; albumen; grape-sugar; much grit.

30th Sample.Purchased-in Crawford-street, Edgeware-road.

Sugar earthy, consisting of two different kinds intermixed;swarln1’ng with acari, some alive, others dead and brokeninto fragments; cane; starch granules; one or two piecesof woody fibre; albumen; grape-sugar; sporules of fungus.

31st Sample.Purchased-in High-street, Marylebone.Sugar evidently mixed, and made up of two different qua-

lities ; numerous fragments of cane; a considerable numberof acari; sporules of fungus; a few starch granules;grape-sugar; albumen; grit.

32nd 6t?Mpe.Purchased-in Tottenham-court-road.

Sugar crystalline, rather light coloured; made up of twodifferent colours and qualities; much cane; hundreds ofacari; sporules of fungus; grape-sugar; albumen; a littlegrit.

33rd Sample.Purchased-in Tottenham-court-road.Sugar presenting a very earthy appearance; not much cane;

a considerable numbei, of acari sporales of fungus; nume-rous starch granules, altered by boiling; one or two piecesof woody fibre; grape-sugar; albumen.

34th Sample.Purchased-in Tottenham- court-road.Sugar somewhat crystalline, staining and wetting the paper

very much; a little cane; acari by 7zundreds; a greatmany sporules of fungus; one or two fragments of woodyfibre; grape-sugar; albumen.

, 35th Sample.

Purcliased&mdash;in Tottenham-court-road.Sugar somewhat crystalline; paper slightly stained; much

cane; several hundreds of acari; a great many sporules offungus; grape-sugar; albumen; grit.

36th sample.Purchased&mdash;in Holborn.Sugar earthy, dark; much cane; swarming with ctcari; nume-

rous ova of same; a great many sporules of fungus; albu-men ; grape-sugar; grit.From an examination of the above table it appears-

1st. That the sugar insect or acarus was present in thewhole of the sugars, the majority of samples containingthem in great numbers.

2nd. That sporules of fungi were likewise present in all thesugars.

3rd. That two out of the thirty-six sugars were adulteratedwith flour, one with tapioca, and the other with potato-flour ; the adulteration in the first case was no doubteffected prior to the importation of the sugar into thiscountry, and in the other it was evidently the work ofthe retail grocer.

From the earthy appearance presented by the greater partof the sugars examined, they were probably the produce ofthe East Indies.

THE ADULTERATIONS OF SUGAR.The character of the adulterations to which any article is

liable, will of course vary with the article itself, and dependupon its nature and composition.Thus the adulterations to which the brown sugars of com-

merce are subject, have relation to their composition, and aknowledge of the various processes adopted in the manufac-ture of sugar.

Substances entirely different from sugar in their natureare but seldom employed in the adulteration of that commo-dity, the grocers having recourse to proceedings more naturaland more difficult of detection, but scarcely less dishonest,than would he the introduction of foreign matters possessedof wholly different properties.

The 3fixi?zg, or " IIandling" of Sugar.These proceedings consist ill the artful admixture, in

various proportions, of sugars of different qualities andprices, none of which are very pure, and some highly impure,an article being thus manufactured, presenting a tolerableappearance to the eye, but really one of very great impurity,and which is but rarely what it professes to be, " real Jamaica,"" Demarara sugar," &c.The impure sugars are dark coloured, imperfectly crys-

tallized, heavy, clammy, and damp, readily caking into masses;examined with the microscope, they are found to containfragments of cane, woody fibre, grit, &c., and to abound withanimalculae or acari, and sporules of fungi.The raw or Muscovado sugar of the West Indies is of

this nature, as well as are, indeed, to a less extent, nearly allthe brown sugars imported into this country.Now these inferior sugars are largely employed to mix with

the whiter and drier sugars of the East Indies, and theMauritius, and are thus sold to the public.The large-grained and white sugars are not well adapted

for this process of mixing or " handling," as they will not con-ceal sufficiently the impure sugars with which they are mixed,and so hide the deception practised; they are not, therefore,purchased for this purpose, but in place of them, inferior andsmall-grained descriptions of sugar, termed " grocery sorts."We have seen that nearly all the brown sugars imported

into this country contain a large amount of impurity, but ingeneral the sugar procured from the grocer does not alonecontain this same amount, but it is increased, sometimesdoubled and trebled, by the use of variable proportions ofother sugars still more impure, in fact, the most impure thatcan be purchased, so that in the state in which it reachesthe public it is entirely unfit for use.The injurious tendencies of this system are not confined to

the purchasers of the impure article, the public, but it ex-tends even to the sugar-producer, who is not only not encou-raged to send to market a pure and good article, but is com-pelled to produce an inferior one to meet the views of "theadulterating grocer." While for the bad article there are

purchasers enough, for the good there is scarcely any sale orencouragement; the little that is sold is bought more forsamples to be conspicuously displayed in the grocer’s window,and so to tempt the passer-by, than for the purposes of legiti-mate trade.To show that these statements are not overdrawn, we will

quote, first, a short extract from the " City Article" of TheTimes for January, the llth instant :-"The grocery sorts still attract attention, and realize high

prices, but refining and graining classes have been ratherneglected."

"

And second, a few paragraphs from the work of Dr. Scoffernson the Manufacture of Sugar."If the West Indian sugar-growers were to be furnished at

once with a never-failing means of producing a large-grained,and therefore an easily cured, sugar, to the exclusion of allother sorts, their produce would have to encounter a difficultywhich the consumer would scarcely have imagined. Suchlarge-grained sugars are very unfavourable to the perpe-tration of certain mysterious operations of legerdemain,*

* Termed by grocers, "handling."

103

which grocers understand too well. They will not mix. Asmall-grained sugar may readily be incorporated with glucose,with pieces or bastards, and other less innocent bodies, withoutsuch incorporation being discoverable to the eye. A large-grained sugar, on the other hand, is a most refractory materialfor these little manipulations; its crystals, no matter howmingled with contaminating agents, never ceasing to manifesttheir native brilliancy, and thus proclaiming the fraud. It ismost easy, then, to understand why the grocer, as a rule, doesnot encourage these large - grained sugars. He cannot’7tandle’ them, and therefore brands them with a fault. Hesays they are deficient in saccharine matter-that they will notsweeten. True it is, that comparatively small portions ofthese large-grained sugars are sold, and sold at high prices, butmerely as fancy articles, on the proceeds of which the grocernets too little to make their sale an object of primary solicitude."Such is the source of one prejudice against dry and large-

grained sugars-a prejudice originating amongst the grocers.There is also another, which originates amongst refiners, whoare adverse to the general consumption of these beautifulcolonial sugars, for the very obvious reason that the consump-tion of their own staple is thereby lessened."

On the Adulteration of Sugar with Flour.But grocers do in some cases introduce foreign substances

into sugar; thus we have seen that it is sometimes adulteratedwith flour. This is used, probably not so much because it ischeaper, but partly to improve the colour of very dark andbad sugar, and partly to cause the absorption of the water ofthe treacle with which dark-coloured sugars are in generalcontaminated. I

On the Adulteratwn of Cane with Potato Sugar.Grape-sugar or glucose, as we have already stated, may be

made from either starch or woody fibre by the action ofdilute sulphuric acid.Some years since this sugar used to be largely prepared in

this country from potato-flour, and as it was sold much underthe price of cane-sugar, it found a ready sale, grocers employ-ing it for the purpose of adulteration.The Excise authorities becoming acquainted with the fact

of the extensive manufacture of potato-sugar, imposed a dutyupon it, since which we believe it has ceased to be prepared.

On the Adulteration of Cane-Sugar with Gum or Dextrioae.We have been informed, on good authority, that British

gum is net unfrequently used to adulterate sugar.This substance is prepared usually from potato-flour by ex-

posing it to a certain temperature in an oil-bath.As the starch-granules are not entirely destroyed by the

temperature to which they have been exposed, but are onlyso far altered in their composition as to become partiallysoluble in water, their detection in sugar by means of themicroscope would not be difficult.We have ourselves not yet met with a sample of sugar

adulterated with " British gum."

ON THE D’IEANS OF DETECTING THE IMPURITIES ANDADULTERATIONS OF SUGAR.

The impurities and adulterations of sugar may be detectedby the appearance, by the touch, by the effect of its contactwith paper, by the microscope, and by chemistry.By the A ppeamnce_-A pure sugar is liglit-coloured, highly

crystalline, large grained, and very dry. Incpure sugars aredark-coloured, imperfectly crystalline, small-grained, (pre-senting an earthy appearance,) damp, and heavy.By the Touch.-A good sugar should be perfectly dry to the

touch, and should not feel in the least sticky or clammy whenpressed between the fingers; on the other hand, a bad sugar,when treated in the same way, feels moist and sticky.The Effect of Contact with Paper.-The thickness of the

sugar-paper used by grocers has often attracted observation,and it has been supposed that it is employed on account of itsweight. The true reason, however, is to be found in theabsorbent powers of the paper.Now the quantity of moisture present in most of the sugars

of the shops is very great, and its amount may be taken as anindication of the extent of their admixture with grape-sugar,treacle, &c.When the quantity of water is great, the thick sugar-paper

absorbs a portion of the fluid, and becomes wetted and stained, Ithe extent of the discoloration, and the state of the paper ,as

IIespects moisture, affording a very good criterion l to thequality of the sugar.

This is a very simple and Qxcellent method of ascertaining,

in many cases, the quality of sugar, which, in addition to stain-ing the paper, if impure from admixture with treacle andgrape-sugar, will also become hard and caked; in doubtfulcases, the sugar should be allowed to remain in the paper twoor three days.Judged by this simple test, we perceive that the quality of

no less than eight out of thirty-six sugars, the results ofthe examination of which we have already considered, is opento something stronger than more suspicion, as in that numberthe papers were more or less discoloured and wetted; in someinstances the paper was saturated with wet, and the change ofcolour involved the whole of the paper; in others, that sideof the paper only was affected upon which the sugar had beenallowed to rest, the watery and treacly parts of it havingpassed to that side by gravitation.

Now the quantity of this water present in many sugars isso great, that it adds very considerably to the weiglat; forevery drachm of water to the pound of sugar there mustbe just so much less of pure cane-sugar; so that, as a ques-tion of economy merely, putting aside all ideas of purity,cleanliness, and health, it is very doubtful whether the public-even that large portion of it,the poor-become gainers by thepurchase of the cheaper, less pure, and much heavier, sugars.By the l6Ticroscope.-By means of this instrument the pre-

sence of the sugar acari, the sporules of fungi, fragments ofcane, wood, and starch granules, may be ascertained, and theadulteration by meaas of flour &c. determined.By Chemistry.-By the magic power of this science the

presence of grape-sugar, vegetable albumen, lime, &c., may beascertained.

A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE, ADDRESSED TO THE PUBLIC ON THEPURCHASE OF SUGAR, TO THE GROCER, AND THE REFINER OFSUGAR.We have now adduced incontestable evidence of the impure

condition of the majority of brown sugars, as imported intothis country, and particularly as vended to the public. Theseimpurities prevail to such an extent, and are of such a nature,- consisting of live animalculse or acari, sporules of fungi,starch, grit, woody fibre, grape-sugar, &c.,-that we feel com-pelled, however reluctantly, to come to the conclusion, thatthe brown sugars of commerce are, in general, in a state whollyunfit for human consumption.One portion of our advice to the public must therefore be,

not to purchase the inferior brown sugars of the shops.We have also clearly shown that lump-sugar is free from

the greater part of the impurities and adulterations by whichbrown sugar is so largely contaminated and deteriorated; itdoes not contain acari, fungi, grape-sugar, albumen, or grit,the chief impurities consisting of starch granules and micro-scopic chips or fragments of woody fibre.We recommend, therefore, the more general use of refined

or lump-sugar.The quality of the lump-sugar is comparatively a secondary

consideration, as the worst lump-sugar is infinitely more purethan the best brown sugar that can be obtained.I To secure, however, the great desideratum of a pure sugar,clean, wholesome, and free from contamination, animal, vege-table, or earthy, the public must be content to pay somewhathigher prices than they do now for a heterogeneous articlecalled, by a misnomer, " sugar."But we would at the same time address a few words to the

grocer and the refiner.To the grocer we remark, it is not the public who dictates

prices in general to the tradesman, but the tradesman to thepublic; let the grocer therefore determine to abandon thepresent vicious system of mixing a sugar, at the best very im-pure, with another sugar, still more impure, and resolve tosell nothing but a good article, demanding for it a fair andremunerative price. To all who will follow the straightfor-ward and honest course here recommended, we will give theutmost encouragement and assistance in our power, and suchmay rest assured that, in the long run, they will be largely thegainers, in pocket, in character, and.in their own conscientiousfeelings.The sugar-refiner we strongly urge to prepare a cheaper

form of purified sugar, in powder, resembling somewhatcrushed lump; such a sugar, we are informed, is extensivelyemployed in Scotland, and we doubt not but that it wouldmeet with a large and ready sale in this country.The next Report of the " Analytical Sanitary Commission’

will be onARROW-ROOT.

ITS ADULTERATIONS.

104

The following are the engravings referred to in the previouspart of this report (THE LANCET, January 18th):-

FIG. 5. !

A sugar-insect of medinm size, representing its attitude andappearance when alive, and as seen crawling on a fragment ofcane. Drawn with the camera lucida, and magnified 200 dia-meters.

Fia. 6.

This figure represents a sugar-insect, which has nearly attainedits full development, and as it frequently appears when dead.Drawn with the camera lucida, and magnified 200 diameten.

Sporules of the sugar-fungus. Drawn with the camera lucidtfand magnified 420 diameters.

Fia. 8.

A fragment of woody fibre of the fir, showing its structure. Drawn aJl with the camera lucida, and magnified 200 diameters.

FOUNDATION OF THE ORTHOP&AElig;DIC HOSPITAL.[LETTER FROM DR. LITTLE.]

To the Governors of the Royal Ort7topTdic Hospital.IN THE LANCET of the 7th ult. it was stated, in referenceto certain proceedings which have taken place at the RoyalOrthopsedie Hospital, that this institution was establishedby me. A postscript to a circular since addressed by Mr.Quarles Harris to the governors of the aharity, though I pre-sume not intended to be distributed to all the governors,since I have not been favoured with a copy,* impugns theaccuracy of that statement, Mr. Harris claiming for himselfthe honour of having been the founder.

Before proceeding to demonstrate the erroneousness of thisclaim, I may be permitted to state, that I enter upon thesubject with extreme pain and reluctance. Mr. Harris wasonce my warm friend; we formerly exchanged acts of kind-ness and regard; and nothing but the exorbitancy of his de-mands upon my patience and forbearance, required for sub-

* Mr. Harris has since sent this circular to THE LANCET.