DANGERS OF TINNED FOOD.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 28 April 1880, Page 2

DANGERS OF TINNED FOOD.

» In noticing the suffering of a family who had eaten some tinned salmon, a correspondent of tbe Brisbane Courier says r — Symptoms of the kind described by you iff the Courier of this morhins will be recognised by many pel sons in addition to those who ha?e partaken of > tinned salmon. All who use tinned goods tinned 6sh especially, are liable to attacksjof the' same kind, and, in cases, to much more serious attacks. They are [ not do© so mjHfeft^t^-the-qoaltfcy 06 the Jish, for there can be but few people who tfould eat of fish in a tainted or doubtfnl stale. The danger arises from the presence \f lead in the tins ; and that may be dissolved either from the solder or the ; tin itselfX There is from fish an acid en- ' geadered lipder certain circumstances which must We a more rapid dissolving effect upon lead\in fish tins than is usual with other" substakees. Jam tins have also been found in a\dangerous state, and cases of severe illneßs\have arisen from using their contents, x fche risk being increased when these are of an acid nature. As a matter of fact lead , should never come into contact with food. So active is lead»poisoning from water, and so welJ are its risks know, that lead piping for water carrying purposes is held in high suspicion, and various devices have been coairived-'-amongst them tin lining — for water pipes to avoid centact with the lead. If this is the case with pipes through whi«*h water passes rapidly, the water being a comparatively pure substanoe, what are vr& to suppose occurs with fish and other substances in contact with lead in the form of solder and otherwise? Very many cases of sickness and death no doubt might he traced to just such causes. While on the subject let j me refer to the dangerous practice of keeping in or delivering seated waters from copper veswls. In Victoria recently grains of copper were found in some single bottles of lemonade, sodawater, tonii},, &c. Perhaps this may bring up recollecfiV s of cases of very serious cramp and other inconveniences after drinking sarated waters. |