POISONING BY ADULTERATED CIDER.
A number of cases of lead poisoning, two of which terminated fatally, have lately occurred at Paris, which have been traced to the use of cider, clarified by a mixture of acetate of lead and carbonate of potassa. The history of this matter shows the efficacy of the French law regarding the use of poisonous substances, and the rigor with which it is enforced:—
Several manufacturers, were accused of having sold cider adulterated and containing substances injurious to health; others in addition to this, of having caused various internal injuries to different individuals, and one M. Henon, further of having thus caused the death of two individuals.
One of the witnesses testified, that he had purchased cider at the establishment of the defendant, that some days after drinking it he had been attacked with colic, and constant tremblings; by the advice of his physician, he sent a quantity of the suspected cider to the prefect of police for analysis. A number of other witnesses who had been poisoned, made statements to the same effect.
M. Chevallier deposed, that he had received a letter from the prefect of the police, enclosing one from the physician of the plaintiff, who stated that a number of his patients had been rendered ill by the use of this cider; that he had, in consequence of this, inspected the various establishments in which the manufacture of cider was carried on, and that he has ascertained the presence of lead in the cider obtained at establishments of the accused.
Several physicians testified, that the symptoms under which their patients (the witnesses) had labored, were due to lead poisoning.
M. Dubail, a Pharmacien, testified that he had furnished M. Henon, (one of the accused), with a mixture of acetate of lead and carbonate of potassa, which M. H. stated, that by the advice of one of his clerks, he intended to use in the clarification of cider. That he had cautioned M. H. regarding its employment, and had furnished him with a re-agent for the purpose of detecting any lead which might not be precipitated in the cider thus clarified.
The trial was commenced on the 9th of May, continued upon the 11th, and judgment rendered on the 18th.
Henon, the use of whose cider had caused two deaths, was condemned to 18 months imprisonment and to pay a fine of 800 francs; a second, to 8 months imprisonment and a fine of 500 francs; a third, to 6 months imprisonment and 500 francs; while a fourth party, accused only of selling adulterated cider, but to the employment of which no injury had been traced, was imprisoned 3 months and fined 100 francs. M. Henon was condemned to pay 24,050 francs in addition as damages; another of the accused, the sum of 1500 francs.
Truly, if the Prince President has been rather free in the employment of lead in the streets of Paris, the government takes good care that its citizens shall not be poisoned by it with impunity.