The  general  method  of  proceeding  is  as  follows: — About  500  grains
of  the  cheese  should  be  incinerated,  and  the  ash  tested  for  lead  and
iron  as  directed  under  the  head  of  Annatto,  &c.
Import  duty,  2s.  6d.  per  cwt. ;  from  British  possessions.  Is.  6d.  per
cwt.
Imports  taken  for  home  consumption  in  1854,  390,220  cwts. ;  in
1855,  381,282  cwts. ;  in  nine  months  of  1856,  275,044  cwts.
COLOURED  SUGAR  CONFECTIONERY.
The  adulteration  of  articles  of  sugar  confectionery  is  a  subject  of  the
very  greatest  importance  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view  :  that  it  must  be
so  is  evident  when  we  consider  the  poisonous  character  of  many  of
the  substarices  used,  and  also  the  large  consumption  of  these  articles,
especially  by  children  and  young  persons.
That  these  articles  are  subject  to  gross  and  injurious  adulteration
has  long  been  known,  and  tlie  subject  is  particularly  referred  to  even  by
Accum  and  other  early  writers  on  adulterations.  Dr.  O'Shaughnessy,
in  the  preface  to  a  paper  on  coloured  sugar  confectionery,  published
in  the  "  Lancet,"  in  1833,  makes  these  remarks  :  —

"  In  the  following  observations  it  is  my  principal  aim  to  lay  before
the  public  and  the  medical  profession  a  calm,  dispassionate  statement
of  the  existence  of  various  poisons  (gamboge,  lead,  copper,  mercury,
and  chroniate  of  lead)  in  several  articles  of  confectionery,  the  prepa-
ration of  which,  from  their  peculiar  attractions  to  the  younger
branches  of  the  community,  has  grown  into  a  separate  and  most,  ex-
tensive branch  of  manufacture.  I  am,  fully  aware  of  the  hazardous
task  that  individual  undertakes  who  ventures  in  this  country  to  sig-
nalise such  abuses."


On  the  Adultehations  of  Sugab  Confectionery.
