Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1891 — The Science of [ARTICLE]

The Science of

_ With what skill adulterators sometimes utilize the resources of chemistry or physics in order to imitate natural substances or to sophisticate manufactured products is well known. The genius of smugglers knows no less limit. We have recently been apprised manufactured products is well known. The genius of smugglers know no less limit. We have recently been apprised of a fact which appears to us to cap the climax. We regret it for the sake of our neighbors across the Rhine, but it is a question of a German fraud. The Longwy custom house seized a German car that had started from the Luxemburg station, carrying so-called dressed stone. From one of the blocks there was oozing a liquid that was recognized by the inspector as 96 degree alcohol. The car was put on the wharf, and the stone was taken off and broken, when it was observed that the interior, which was hollow, held a zinc box of 1 m. by 0:7 m. by 0.4 m., containing 297 liters of alcohol. The other blocks were found in the same condition. The screw cap was carefully concealed under a layer of cement uniformly marked with the letter D. The numbers succeeded each other*- and upon each stone there was found another mark indicating the contents in liters. —Scientific American.