The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 776, 14 February 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1871.

Legislation to prevent the adulteration of food and drink, more especially the latter, is, perhaps, one of the greatest social requirements of the colony. That every article of consumption should be pure, is at least as necessary as pure air, good drainage, or wholesome water; but the apathy and ignorance of the public, on the subject of adulteration is truly astonishing, although its result, as shown bv the alarming increase of lunacy, should be sufficiently startling to farouse public attention both as to its prevalence and the terrible consequences It means the lowering of the physique of a people, a loss of intellectual power and energy, and ever decreasing longevity ; and, for posterity, enfeebled constitutions and loss of physical power! The portion of the subject which, however, at the present time, more immediately affects the people of this Colony is the adulteration of liquor. As a general rule, the adulteration of alcoholic liquor is almost universal, while a large proportion of the spirits used in commerce are new distillations which, until matured, contain an essential oil which is highly deleterious. By the long maturing of spirits this oil assimilates with other ingredients, changing its nature so as to become quite innocuous, and by its combination producing the aromatic fragrance easily perceptible in old cognac brandies or rum. Unless extracted from the distilled spirits by means of olive oil or by '.filtration through charcoal, it takes quite three years for the oil to become assimilated with the other component parts of the spirit, and whilst new, in either spirits or in wine, this oil is highly stupefying, and, even maddening, if excess. New rums on the Spanish or "West Indian plantations are proverbially known by the term " devil's rum" from their terrible effect on the ne. groes who indulge in them. 'lt is true that the oil may be extracted from the spirit or the wine, when new, but its removal takes away the means of those combinations which, in aged wines or spirits, constitute their chief quality. Distilling having now become a home industry, protected by a preferential duty, the means of manufacturing willnot suffice tokeep pace with the demand,so there is but a very faint hope of the stocks of home-distilled spirits accumulating so as to enable them, by maturing to lose their deleterious qualities. There are, however, but two remedies available—either by legislative action to cause all colonial made spirits to be kept in bond for several years from the time of making, or, considering the interest of money and the expense of storing, perhaps the producers would be better served by going to the immediate expense of purification, under supervision, for what Bpirits they might desire to pass into consumption within the prescribed period. That the Legislature must move in the matter is very evident. The numbers suffering from lunacy in New Zealand and Australia are out of all proportion to the returns of the old countries of Europe, where the general condition of the population and the severe competition in almost every rank of life, should render them much more susceptible to this affliction. In the matter of adulteration

legialation is also required, and will become yearly of more urgent necessity. In the United States, in Germany, and in Holland, severe fines and loDg periods of imprisonment are enforced on such as adulterate any article of food or drink, while in the latter country punishment is also provided for persons who manufacture or sell ingredients for adulteration. The great difficulty in dealing with this question is that the Government is slow to move, and many practically defend ihe fraud by refusing to believe that it is so bad as it might be. It is a matter, however, that must be looked to, and carefully and honestly carried out, if any reduction is to be effected in the terrible frequency of lunacy throughout the entire colony, and more especially in those portions where the consumption of alcohol bears the largest proportion to the population.