Carlisle Patriot 19 July 1844 19 July 1844 Adulteration of our Food

19 July 1844 Adulteration of our Food

Another of the thousand ways in which our food is adulterated has been brought to light. So long ago as April last the Commissioner of Police in London, Mr. DOWLING, received an anonymous letter from Cumberland, stating that gypsum, that is, primitive alabaster, was ground in large quantities at a mill near Carlisle, and forwarded to Liverpool, under such circumstances rendered the suspicion reasonable that it was used in the adulteration of flour.        Due vigilance being exercised, it was found that quantities of it arrived from Carlisle, cosigned to a person here whose name is known, and who received it as gypsum, but afterwards shipped it to Runcorn as flour. It was cosigned to a miller in that neighbourhood. The authorities there were put on the alert by Mr. DOWLING, and some rumours have transpired, it was observed that the sacks of gypsum lay unclaimed for many weeks. At length, however,  when the affair seemed to be lulled, it was called for, and immediately afterwards, we learn, Mr. W. PATTINSON, of Cuddlington Mill, near Weaverham, was fined £10 by the Cheshire magistrates, for having gypsum in his possession.        The officers detected him in the act of mixing it, and flour which was purchased from him was found adulterated with gypsum. The found and seized 23 bags of that article, and some further charges for mixing and selling it are to come on at another meeting of the magistrates.        Thus is our daily bread adulterated - thus is the craft of the mason carried on in our very stomachs, and mortar were produced which is of mortal effect; and thus a family wishing to purchase a stone of flour is literally furnished with flour of stone. Mr. DOWLING has done the state some service by his watchfulness and diligence in this important business.                            _Liverpool Mercury. [This matter is of serious local importance, and our Liverpool contemporary would have done well to have given the names of all the parties concerned in this nefarious, or rather murderous transaction. We, at least, would have taken care that this Carlisle gypsum grinder should be known; and a useful inquiry might be instituted as to whether he has any customers on the spot. ******

 

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