213

3rd.-That out of the twenty samples, not one was foundpossessed of the natural green colour.We have already repeatedly given the composition of

Lie tea, from which it appears that it is not only worthless,but, in consequence of the extent to which it is coloured withPrussian-blue, calculated to prove extremely injurious tohealth; the price of this article, exclusive of duty, is from six-pence to eightpence per pound; and in the country from whichit is exported, it probably would not fetch one penny perpound. That persons should be made to pay for a pound ofsuch poisonous rubbish, four shillings of hard-earned money,

. is indeed disgraceful.We will now, on bringing our Reports on tea, for the pre-

sent, to a conclusion, recapitulate the more important resultsarrived at in the course of our investigations.The chief points ascertained with regard to Black tea are-lst. That the principal black teas-namely, the Congous

and Souchongs, arrive in this country, for the most part, in agenuine state.

2nd. That certain descriptions of black tea, as ScentedOrange Pekoe and Caper, are invariably adulterated, the adul-teration in general consisting in the glazing of the leaves withplumbago or black lead; the Caper likewise being subject toadmixture with other substances, as paddy-husk, Lie tea, andleaves other than those of tea.

3rd. That several varieties of a spurious Caper, or blackGunpowder, are prepared, which consist of tea-dust, and some-times the dust of other leaves, and sand, made up into littlemasses with gum, and faced or glazed with plumbago, Prussianblue, and turmeric-powder; in some cases these imitations aresold separately, but most frequently they are used to mixwith and adulterate the better qualities of Caper-viz. thosewhich are made of tea faced with plumbago only.With respect to Green tea the principal conclusions are-1st. That these teas, with the exception of a few of British

growth and manufacture, from Assam, are invariably adulte-rated-that is to say, are glazed with colouring matters ofdifferent kinds.

2nd. That the colouring matters used are in general Prussianblue, turmeric-powder, and China clay, other ingredients beingsometimes but not frequently employed.

3rd. That of these colouring matters, Prussian blue, or ferro-cyanide of iron, possesses properties calculated to affecthealth injuriously.

4th. That in this country there is really no such thing as agreen tea-that is, one which possesses the natural green hueconsidered to characterize that kind of tea.

5th. That green teas, and more especially the Gunpowders,in addition to being faced and glazed, are more subject toadulteration in other ways than black teas, as by admixturewith leaves not those hf tea, with paddy-husk, and particularlywith Lie tea.

6th. That Lie tea is prepared so as to resemble green tea,and is extensively used by the Chinese themselves to adul-terate gunpowder tea; it is also sent over to this country invast quantities, and is employed for the same purpose by ourown tea-dealers and grocers.The above are the more important conclusions as to the

condition of black and green teas as imported, but thesearticles undergo further deterioration at the hands of mer-chants and dealers in our own country. Thus we have adducedevidence to show-

1st. That exhausted tea-leaves are frequently made up withgum, &c., and re-sold to the public as genuine black tea,and, when artificially coloured and glazed, even as green tea.

2nd. That the substances employed in the colouring are inmany cases very much more objectionable and injurious thanthose used by the Chinese, being often highly poisonous.

3rd. That it is no uncommon thing for tea, both black andgreen, to be fabricated from leaves not those of tea, andpossessing no properties in common with the leaves of thatplant.

4th. That Lie tea is very extensively employed by ourown dealers and grocers for the adulteration of green tea.

Of the adulterations noticed, those practised by the Chi-nese are of course by far the most important, because theyextend to a very considerable portion of the tea consumedin this country; at the same time the frauds resorted to byour own dealers must not be lost sight of.

It having been shown, then, that there exists much thatis wrong in connexion with tea, especially green tea, asimported into this country, it now remains for us to consider

whether means cannot be devised by which these evils mayto a great extent be remedied.We propose, then, by way of remedy,-lst. A reduction of duty on all descriptions of black tea, to

the extent of at least one-third, allowing it to remain the sameas at present on every kind of green tea.

2nd. That all Lie tea, (notwithstanding that it sometimescontains a small quantity of tea-dust, and pays the same dutyas tea,) since it is invariably made up largely with sand, as wellas frequently leaves not those of tea, and as it is used chiefly forthe purpose of adulteration, should, as soon as it falls under thenotice of the excise authorities, be confiscated and destroyed;similar steps, should also be adopted with those green teaswhich are found to be admixed with Lie tea.We are fully persuaded that the before-mentioned reduc-

tion of duty on black tea would extend the consumption ofthat useful and for the most part unadulterated kind of tea solargely, that in place of there being any diminution in therevenue, even on the returns of the first year, there wouldpositively be an increase of income from this source.

Tea, although not an absolute necessary of life, is an articleof daily consumption amongst a very large portion of thecommunity; a still larger portion, however, from the highprice. at which it is sold, are unable to procure one-sixthpart as much as they would gladly consume, were it butplaced within their reach; and we firmly believe, that wereany considerable reduction of duty on tea to be made, theconsumption would very soon be doubled. This reduction,we are persuaded, would not only increase the consumptionwithout injury to the revenue, but would effectually put astop to the adulterations now so prevalent, frequently to thedetriment of health. The duty on green teas remaining thesame as at present, would do much to lessen their consumption.

The next Report of the Analytical Sanitary Commissionwill be on

M I L K,AND ITS

ADULTERATIONS.

TESTIMONIALS TO SIR HOWARD DOUGLAS AND- SIR DE LACY EVANS."The installation of Sir James Thomson, as a K.C.B., must

be a source of the highest gratification to every right-mindedmember of that service of which he forms so distinguishedan ornament ! It constitutes a proud consummation to thoseefforts which, during the last half-dozen years, have been de-voted to elevating the military surgeon from the condition ofa mere hireling, working for his daily bread, to that of a mansusceptible of appreciating and eager to obtain those hono-rary distinctions, which, baubles though they be, have yet apositive and priceless value in military eyes. Philosophizeas you may, zealous and finely constituted minds will everdesire to share those honorary rewards which are open tothe class of men in whose society they live. Such is the casewith medical men attached to our armies. Though theirprofession is one of peace, a constant intercourse with sol-diers, and their mutual share of summer’s heat, winter’s cold$and the iron storm of battle, have interwoven the martialspirit with the surgeon’s skill, and taught them to prize allmilitary honours. We will not sully the satisfaction of thepresent hour by attempting to describe how petty jealousies,aristocratic exclusiveness, and the apathy of unsympathizingofficial men, have retarded the justice they have now received;but we would call our readers’ most earnest attention to theone great fact, that but for the unwearying exertions of somehereinafter mentioned friends, the K.C.B.-ship of a medicalofficer might have been deferred until the end of time.Nothing in this world is ever gained, except by a number, m-finitesimally small, of Fortune’s favourites, by waiting till itcomes. Circumstances must be conquered, opportunityachieved, by him who would make the world his slave, and notbecome its martyr. How applicable this is to our subjectmatter, none need be told who possess the slightest recollec-tion of the apparent utter hopelessness of medical officers ob-taining military honours, when the subject was first broachedby Sir Howard Douglas in the House of Commons some fiveyears since. No eulogium upon any class of men, everuttered in the British senate, was more warmly worded than

, Sir Howard’s, and yet it fell on cold, unheeding ears, anddied of inanition. Seed so intrinsically rich, however, was

214

destined not to perish, but, manured by other care and skill,eventually germinated a florescence brighter than its earlypromise. Who are they to whose fostering care this happyending may be described ? Our most able, active, andenergetic friend was a brother officer, Mr. James RanaldMartin, formerly of the Bengal Medical Service. In closealliance with him was the Editor of THE LANCET. The com-bined literary efforts of these gentlemen raised that founda-tion of indisputable fact, which enabled General Sir De LacyEvans, the warm and generous parliamentary advocate ofmilitary surgeons, so to place their claims before the Houseof Commons as to permit of no denial. It grieves us to saythat we have met with some members of the service, who,in their happy ignorance of the gigantic efforts essentialto such a victory, have attempted to pooh-pooh the whole,and assert that sooner or later the result we now enjoy musthave been obtained. Had these gentlemen been literally bornwith a silver spoon in their months, and a golden one in either’hand, had they passed their lives upon a velvet cushionenshrined within a crystal case, undergoing no greater hard-ship than a daily meal of ambrosia, such apathetic puerilitymight have been forgiven. But that full-bearded men, whohave been tossed upon the sea of life, and fought its battle, cancalmly assert that such things are to be got for merely ask-ing, displays a degree of mundane folly and ignorance con-ceivable onlv in an inhabitant of the lunar sphere.The foregoing reflections have been induced by the lament-

able failure of the committee appointed by a general meetingof medical officers, held in November last, to effect any de-monstration of gratitude to those whose exertions have re-leased them from a state of military helotry. Is thankfulnessfor benefits conferred, and emotion, banished from the heartsof the surgeons of our army ? Render unto Caesar thethings which are Csesar’s.’ Sir James, our venerated chief,has won the laurel-crown. Long may it press the brows ofthe gallant and generous-hearted old man But in additionto this, some Rs. 5 or 6000, have been subscribed to grace histriumph ! Are the absent always to be forgotten ? Surelyif the crowning of our hopes be worth a demonstration suchas this, a little might be spared to mark our feelings towardsthose whose efforts in bearing the burden and heat of theday, have achieved the victory ? India alone contains aboveone thousand medical officers of the Royal and Company’sservices. Ten rupees each, saved by the privation of someuseless luxury, amounting to a total of £1000, would sufficeto purchase testimonial swords for the two military men,whilst half the sum devoted to the editor of THE LANCETand Mr. Martin, would be probably disposed of most to thesatisfaction of these gentlemen by founding an annual orbiennial prize, bearing their name, for the best essay uponany given point of military surgery. Some such idea as thismight yet be carried out ! An error of omission can alwaysbe repaired. Generous spirits of the service awake ! throwoff the sloth that binds you, and show the world that thoughthe sun of India may paralyse in some respect your hands,your hearts are sound, and glowing with as bright a fire asEngland ever lighted ?" - From the Oalcutta Medical andS’cientific Gazette of Saturday, June 14th, 1851.

Correspondence.

THE PROVINCIAL MEDICAL AND SURGICALASSOCIATION AND MEDICAL REFORM.

"Audi alteram p,,irtem.11

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—As I was unable to attend the meeting of the Provincial

Medical Association at Brighton, I addressed the following’ letterto Sir Charles Hastings on the proposed proceedings respectingmedical reform. I understand it was read by Sir Charles to theCouncil, and they unanimously came to the decision that mybetter, as well as some others which were sent to him and to theSecretary for that purpose, should not be read at the publicmeeting. Believing, however, that a large majority of thegeneral practitioners of England and Wales entertain opinionssimilar to my own—though they may differ from those of someof the leaders of the Association-you will much oblige me byallowing the document to appear in the next number of THE- LANCET.

I am, Sir, yours faithfully,GEORGE WEBSTER.

’ To S’ir Charles Hastings, M.D., &c.My DEAR SIR,—I am hourly expecting an anxious midwifery

case, which, if not over in time, will deprive me of the pleasureof attending our anniversary meeting at Brighton. I shall regret

, this the more, because I particularly wish to be present at theCouncil meeting on Tuesday evening, to suggest some alterations

, in the proposed Report of the Council.

, In case of my absence, therefore, I write to protest respectfully,. but earnestly, against the course indicated in the Report on the. question of medical reform. Should the Council propose, and: the members present at the anniversary " accept the proffered

terms of the College of Surgeons, with some SLIGHT modifica-’

tions," " as the basis of a final settlement of the question," theywill, in my humble opinion, show a great amount of gratitude

for very small concessions, while they will betray the rights and,

interests of a great majority of the Association and of the pro-fession. Such a scheme may probably meet the wishes of thosewho are anxious to become fellows of the College ; but as regardsthe degraded members, they will gain nothing, unless they acquirefull, free, and unrestricted votes in the election of the Council,and be also themselves eligible to seats on the Council. It appearsto me as if the central Council of the Association had consideredchiefly the privileges of the fellows of the College, and forgottenthe claims of other practitioners. The great majority of medicalmen are not consulting but general practitioners, and whethermembers of the College of Surgeons only, or licentiates of theSociety of Apothecaries, or both,-or holding other diplomas andlicences in addition to these, or without them,-they must beviewed as one body, and their rights and interests as identical. Iconsider, then, that the new proposal (which you and yourcolleagues of the central Council approve of) to take from thegeneral practitioners the power to regulate the education and testthe qualifications of their own body, and confer iton the Colleges of £Physicians and Surgeons, would not only be a flagrant act of injus-tice, but would be fraught with great danger to the public health.

Is it in accordance with our experience of human motivesand corporate actions, to believe that the Colleges would everview with favour, or govern with equity, the general practitionersof this country, whose interests are opposed to their own, andwho have been called into existence by the wants of the public,in direct opposition to the intentions and wishes of these bodies ?Is it for a moment to be supposed that the Colleges, who haveerected, and are still erecting, barriers between themselves andthe general practitioners, by examinations, fellowships, and dis-tinctions hitherto unknown,-so that one class shall appear to bea very superior body, and the other a very inferior one, is it tobe supposed that they will be anxious to enlarge the cnrriculum,raise the qualifications, or elevate the status, of the general prac-titioner ? Undoubtedly not. And thus the public will be de-prived of the manifest advantages which a friendly rivalry andprofessional emulation would naturally produce among the dif-ferent bodies from self-government and the power to test thequalifications of their own members. Self-government is thefirst law of society, and why should one body legislate for orgovern another? What do we see when such an unnaturalsystem exists ? We see confusion, discontent, degradation,oppression, and continual agitation-the governing sectiontrampling upon the governed, and, as I have said, with loss to,and neglect of, the public interests.You are aware that my own feelings and convictions have long

been in favour of a single " Faculty of Medicine and Surgery,"as the most natural and just arrangement for all parties; but afteryears of fruitless efforts for its attainment, a large body of re-formers, comprising numerous Associations, determined, that asthe general practitioners were unrepresented and uncared for inthe Colleges, the next best step to a Faculty of Medicine wouldbe a Royal College for their own government and examination." The so-called concessions of the Council of the College of Sur-geons" are certainly not sufficient to satisfy even their own mem-bers, who are to have no votes and no participation in the manage-ment of the College-these being reserved for the favoured fellowsonly ; far less ought the general practitioners who are not mem-bers of the London College to be satisfied with a plan which wouldplace them under the step-mother government of bodies who havealways been opposed to them.

The Report states that all the accredited Associations hadbeen consulted, and had agreed to the proposed plan 1 I proteston behalf of the National Institute of Medicine, Surgery, andMidwifery, as being directly opposed to such a scheme ; and Ibelieve they will not cease to agitate the question until thegeneral practitioners obtain self-government and the right to testthe qualifications of their own class, either in a College of theirown, or in conjunction with the present Colleges, as part of ageneral plan for the whole profession.