Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1884 — Poisonous Solder in Canned Goods. [ARTICLE]

Poisonous Solder in Canned Goods.

Dr. John G. Johnson, having had six oases of poisoning from the eating of canned tomatoes, read an excellent paper on the subject before the New York Medico-Legal Society, which is published in the Sanitarian for June. He concludes, after a careful review of the subject, that: 1, These were not cases of sickness from spoiled tomatoes. A They were of corrosive poisoning from muriate of zinc and muriate of tin. 3. This poisonous amalgam must be abandoned. 4. Exemplary damages, “at the discretion of the jury,” will be sustained by the courts of this reckless tampering with human life in using a dangerous means when a safe one could be used. 5. The canners have only themselves to .thank for the present panic in their business, for they have persisted in the use of this dangerous amalgam, knowing it was dangerous. 6. Every cap should be examined, and if two holes are found in it smd it at once to the Health Board, with the contents aud the name of the grocer who sold it. 7. Reject every article of canned food that does not show the line of resin around the edge of the solder on the cap, the same as is seen on the seam at side of the can. 8. “Standard” or first class goods have not only the name of the factory, but also that of the wholesale house which sells them, on the label. “Seconds,” or doubtful or “reprocessed” goods, have a “stock label” of some mythical canning house, but do not have the name of any wholesale grocer on them, Reject all goods that do not have the name of some wholesale firni on- the label. , 9. A~**swell” or decomposing can of goods can always be detected by pressing in the bottom of the can. . A sound can pressed will give a solid feeL When gas from the decomposition of the food is inside the can the tin will rattle by pressing up the bottom as you displace the gas in the can. 10. Reject every can that shows any rust around the cap on the inside of the head of the can. —lnternational Review of Medical and Surgical Technics.