“A Fish.
“Purchased in Shepherd’s Market, May Fair.
“The tip of the nose and the gills of the fish are coloured with the usual pink, while the back and sides are highly painted with that virulent poison arsenite of copper.”
“A Pigeon.
“Purchased in Drury Lane.
“The pigments employed for colouring this pigeon are light yellow for the beak, red for the eyes, and orange yellow for the base or stand. The yellow colour consists of the light kind of chromate of lead, for the eyes bisulphate of mercury, and for the stand the deeper varieties of chromate of lead, or orange chrome.”
“Apples.
“Purchased in James Street, Covent Garden.
“The apples in this sample are coloured yellow, and on one side deep red; the yellow colour extending to a considerable depth in the substance of the sugar. The red consists of the usual non-metallic pigment, and the yellow is due to the presence of CHROMATE OF LEAD in really poisonous amount!”
“A Cock.
“Purchased in Drury Lane.
“The beak of the bird is coloured bright yellow, the comb brilliant red, the wings and tail are variegated, black, two different reds, and yellow; while the stand, as in most of these sugar ornaments, is painted green. The yellow of the beak consists of CHROMATE OF LEAD; the comb and part of the red colour on the back and wings is VERMILION; while the second red colour on the wings and tail is the usual pink non-metallic colouring matter, and the stripes of yellow consist of gamboge; lastly, the green of the stand is middle Brunswick green, and, therefore, contains CHROMATE OF LEAD. In the colouring of this article, then, no less than three active poisons are employed, as well as that drastic purgative gamboge!”
“Oranges.
“Purchased in Pilgrim Street, Doctors’ Commons.
“This is a very unnatural imitation of an orange, it being coloured with a coarse and very uneven coating of RED LEAD.”