Legal Chemistry: A Guide to the Detection of Poisons, Examination of Tea, Stains, Etc., as Applied to Chemical JurisprudenceNaquet, Alfred
Science
Legal Chemistry: A Guide to the Detection of Poisons, Examination of Tea, Stains, Etc., as Applied to Chemical Jurisprudence
Naquet, Alfred
Chemistry, Forensic; Poisons
The chief adulterations are colza and nut oils. The latter is detected
by means of the reaction with nitric acid, as described above. Colza oil
is recognized by mixing 5 volumes of the sample to be examined, with 1
volume of sulphuric acid of sp. gr. 1.655: if colza or nut oils are
present, a brown coloration ensues; under the same circumstances, pure
olive oil assumes a pale greenish hue. In case the sample acquires a
brown color when treated with sulphuric acid, and a red coloration is
produced by the addition of nitric acid, it contains nut oil; if
sulphuric acid produces a brown coloration, and nitric acid fails to
change it, the presence of oil of colza is indicated.
EXAMINATION OF HEMPSEED OIL.
This oil is frequently adulterated with linseed oil. The reactions
exhibited by these oils are nearly identical, and the detection of the
admixture is extremely difficult. It is advisable to mix the suspected
oil with sulphuric acid, notice being taken of the elevation of
temperature produced, and to treat it with nitric acid and with dilute
potassa solution, subjecting, at the same time, an artificial mixture of
the two pure oils to the same treatment, and comparing the results
obtained.
TEA AND ITS ADULTERATION.
Among alimentary substances probably no article is subjected to more
adulteration than tea. The sophistications practised may be conveniently
divided into three classes:
1. Additions made for the purpose of giving increased bulk and weight,
which include foreign leaves and exhausted tea-leaves, and also certain
mineral substances, such as metallic iron, sand, brick-dust, etc.
2. Substances added in order to produce an artificial appearance of
strength in the tea decoction, catechu, or other bodies rich in tannin,
and iron salts being chiefly resorted to for this purpose.
3. The imparting of a bright and shining appearance to the tea by means
of various coloring mixtures or "facings," which adulteration, while
sometimes practised upon black tea, is much more common with the green
variety. This sophistication involves the use of steatite (soap-stone),
sulphate of lime, China clay, Prussian blue, indigo, turmeric, and
graphite; chromate of lead and copper salts being but very rarely
employed. The compound most frequently used consists of a mixture of
soap-stone (or gypsum) with Prussian blue, to which a little turmeric is
sometimes added.
Genuine tea is the prepared leaf of _Thea sinensis_. It contains:
moisture, 6% to 10%; theine, 0.4% to 4.0%; tannin, (green) 20%, (black)
10%; ash, 5% to 6%; soluble extractive matters, 32% to 50%; and
insoluble leaf, 47% to 54%.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.]
[Illustration: Fig. 17.]
[Illustration: Fig. 18.]
[Illustration: Fig. 19.]
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