A variety of articles of food, which do not properly come under any of the heads previously treated, have, during the past few years, been found on our markets in an adulterated state. Prominent among these, are the various kinds of canned meats, fruits, and vegetables, which have not unfrequently been the cause of serious cases of illness. This result may be owing to the original bad condition of the goods, or to fermentation having taken place; but, in many instances, the trouble has been traced to the improper methods of canning used, resulting in the contamination of the preserved articles with metallic poisons. The fact that fermentation has occurred is frequently indicated by the external appearance of the head of the can, which, in this case, will be slightly convex, instead of being, as it should be, concave. The metals most often detected in canned goods are lead, tin, and copper. The presence of lead is usually due to the use of an impure grade of tin, known as “terne-plate,” in the manufacture of the cans, or to carelessness in the soldering process. The origin of copper is probably to be found in the methods sometimes practised of heating the goods in vessels made of this metal previous to canning them. The presence of tin results from the action of partially decomposed fruits and vegetables upon the can. Preserved fruits and jellies are sometimes put up in unsealed tin pails or cans, when they almost invariably contain notable amounts of this metal. Asparagus seems to be especially liable to contamination with metals, doubtless owing to the formation of aspartic acid. As much as half a gramme of tin has been found in a quart can of this vegetable. The use of zinc chloride as a flux in soldering, has, to the writer’s knowledge, occasioned the presence of an appreciable proportion of the salt in canned goods. Of 109 samples of canned food lately examined by our health officials, 97 contained tin; 39, copper; 4, zinc; and 2 lead. In the analysis of food of this description, the organic matters are first destroyed by heating with oxidising agents, such as a mixture of potassium chlorate and hydrochloric acid. The solution is then evaporated to a small volume. It is next diluted with water, and tested with sulphuretted hydrogen, ammonium sulphide, and the usual reagents. Messrs. Waller and Martin have made an investigation in regard to the proportion of copper which may be present in various natural grains and vegetables. Their results show that these plants frequently take up a minute quantity of this metal from the soil. The amounts of copper found were as follows:-- Parts of copper per million. Raw wheat and other grains, from 4· to 10·8 Green cucumbers 2·5 „ peas 3·1 „ pea pods 1·0 The following proportions were detected in canned vegetables:--