The worst kinds of adulterated coffee are to be found in that which is sold in canisters. The value of the tin envelope cannot be less than 2d., and, as the coffee so sold is charged at the same price as that in a paper wrapper, it must be evident that a more extensive adulteration is necessary in order to make up the difference. Such, upon examination, proves to be the case, as it appeared—
“That the whole twenty-nine packages, bottles, and canisters submitted to analysis, with a single exception,[5] were adulterated.
“That in these twenty-eight adulterated samples the falsification consisted of so-called chicory, which in many instances constituted the chief part of the article.
“That three of the samples contained mangold-wurzel, and two of them roasted wheat-flour.”
We have said it often happens that the adulterations are adulterated. Chicory is an instance of it. The original fraud is found to have ramified in an endless manner; and Sir Charles Wood will doubtless be astonished to hear of the hideous crop of falsifications his most unfortunate order has caused to spring out of the ground.
Immediately the process of transforming chicory into coffee became legalized by the Government, that article came into very extensive consumption, and factories were set up especially for its secret manufacture. The reason for this secrecy may be gathered from the list of articles which are made to subserve the purpose: roasted wheat, ground acorns, roasted carrots, scorched beans, roasted parsnips, mangold-wurzel, lupin-seeds, dog’s biscuits, burnt sugar, red earth, roasted horse-chestnuts,—and above and beyond all baked horses’ and bullocks’ livers. This statement rests upon the authority of Mr. P. G. Simmonds, in a work entitled “Coffee as it is, and as it ought to be:”—
“In various parts of the metropolis,” he says, “but more especially in the east, are to be found ‘liver bakers.’ These men take the livers of oxen and horses, bake them, and grind them into a powder, which they sell to the low-priced coffeeshop-keepers, at from fourpence to sixpence per lb., horse’s liver coffee being the highest price. It may be known by allowing the coffee to stand until cold, when a thick pellicle or skin will be found on the top. It goes farther than coffee, and is generally mixed with chicory, and other vegetable imitations of coffee.”
In confirmation of this horrible statement the sanitary commissioners of the Lancet state that, on analysis, this substance, which
“possessed a disagreeable animal smell, ... consisted of some imperfectly-charred animal matter.”
The new regulation, enjoining grocers to sell coffee and chicory properly labelled as such, is, no doubt, observed in respectable shops; but in the low neighbourhoods the mixture as before is passed off for genuine Mocha. However, the purchaser has the means of protection in his own hands. If he prefers coffee pure, let him buy the roasted berry and grind it himself; he will thus be sure of having the real article, and will get it in greater perfection than by purchasing it ready ground.