Minutes of evidence and appendices. Vol. 2, Evidence received in 1902-3, together with appendices 16 to 32, and index (Being part 2 of the Final report of the Commission) / Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning arising from the consumption of beer and other articles of food or drink.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence and appendices. Vol. 2, Evidence received in 1902-3, together with appendices 16 to 32, and index (Being part 2 of the Final report of the Commission) / Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning arising from the consumption of beer and other articles of food or drink. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    58/404 (page 46)
    Ma. A. Worsick. 11 April 1902. Piee tions since 1800 epid amiic. Anthracite substituted for gas coke, Malt brushed, &e. 46 what happened at Halifax?—The first intimation I had of it was in December, 1900. I, like most maltsters, was flattering myself we were all right ; that it was the sugar which was wrong. According to the reports, beers on being analysed without any glucose and sugar were still found to be more or less contami- nated. I then heard that malt had been tested, anc was found to contain arsenic. I sent my samples off immediately, about the middle of December, 1900. 9425. Where did you send them?—To Dr. Miller, of Manchester. He reported that they were not as clear as they ought to be. He said they were not right. I was very much surprised at this, and went to have a chat with him, and asked him what he considered would be the best fuel to use. At that time he could not tell me. He said he thought anthracite coal would be the best, and I immediately changed on to anthracite at that time. I dried a few kilns of malt with it, and 1 sent them to be tested. He reported they were pure. I also put in new machines; I had a machine at that time with boaters in it, a centrifugal ‘‘ Baron,” and I heard that brushes were much more effective ; and I had the brushes attached to the beaters which rubbed the malt alongside of the screen. It certainly took out all the culms, and I had also aspirators attached to the machines which sucked out pretty well all the dust, took it away into a stive room, or dust room. Then I put a similar machino in. I still found on the second machine that I have more or less out, and I have a sample here of the different culms. 9426. Malt samples?—No, samples of the culms and Care needed in selecting anthracite. 9427. This Manchester analyst, Dr. Miller, communi- cated to you that there was arsenic in these samples which you sent up?—Yes. 9428. And suggested to you that probably the pre sence of this arsenic arose from the fuel which you were using, and suggested that you should change the fuel you hal been using and use anthracite ?—That is SO. 9429. Did he tell you that there was danger from using gas coke?—I do not think he did. I do not remember. | He was still in doubt about it himself. It was a very early stage at that time. There was a greit deal of uncertainty expressed as to which was the best. Many people thought coke ‘vas the best fuel. He could not really help me, but he said h thought anthracite would be the best, and it proved to be yo in my case. that you think gas coke is undesirable for malting? As a general opinion; I do not wish to tie you down too closely ?—I think it is. 9431. Do you think that opinion is largely held by maltsters in Yorkshire at this moment, that gas coke is not a good fuel for malting purposes, that 14 is more likely to contain arsenic than anthracite ?—That is so. 9432. That is the general opinion in the Trade ?— That is so. 9433. Can you show us any reports of analyses you have had made ?—Yes. 9434. Can you quote one or two to the Com- missioa, or do you wish to band them in as evidence ?— No, I do not. 9435. You would rather not?—Yes. JI was asked to state what precautions I have been taking, and the analyst’s papers I have here date back from December, 1900, up to the present time. 9436. Since Deceinber, 1900, you have been having -onstant analyses of your maltings?—Yes, the last is March 20th, 1902,-b it I have one at home that came this week, which I have not beought here. It is still the same report. He says, “ Mar-h 20th: I have tested for arsenic. the sampies of malt brought from you to- day. The results are as under: Northowram is pure, and Elland is pure.” 9437. Taking those analyses before you as a whole what is the result of them as regards the presence of arsenic in any sample that you sent up?—I find them to come out fairly consistently pure since I have taken precautions of being careful iny the selection of my fuel. I have been careful in selecting the anthracite because I found that to vary. 9438. You found cven with the use of anthracite some care should be taken in regard to the coal used ?- -That ls so. 9439. Do you think it should be picked over by hand or examined closely ?—I instructed my foremen when choy were taking in fresh loads of coal to look out for any of the pyrites, and now and then one has found a metal substance, and they have instructions to pick that out. It is very rarely we do come across it. 9440. But when found it should be nicked out at onze ?—Yes. 9441. Do you wish the Commission to understand that since you have been more particular as! to the use of your fuel and used anthracite carefully examined be- fore use, that the analyses have shown a great im- provement as regards the presence of arsenic /—Tnat is SO. 9442. That is what you wish the Commission to under- stand ?—Yes, and many of my customers of Lancashire both test the malt itself and submit it to other brewers’ chemists for their testing. Most of my customers had Dr. Miller as their analyst ; some have had Dr. Camp- bell Brown of Liverpool. The samples have come out all right. 9443. With regard to the brewers, your customers, have you had requests from them to give any guarantee as regards the malt you supply, or as to special treat- ment with regard to fuel?—Yes, I have sometimes. I had a customer in Salford at the time of the Manches- ter scare. They had no difficulty with their beers at that time, but at the same time they were very anxious about it, and they said that all malt would have to be guaranteed free from arsenic. The malt I sent Mr. A. Worsie 11 April 19 Precaution: have redue arsenic in» malt. results were I believe perfectly satisfactory. 9444. Have you made any effort to get a guarantec from the persons you. buy fuel from?—iI have asked them for it. ) 9445. Have you endeavoured to get anything like a guarantee as to freedom from pyrites 1—Tihey have sent me analysis of their coal, which is quite free from arsenic, as they state, but at the same time most of them are very chary about giving you a guarantee about freedom from arsenic. They know you are quite liable to have more or less in all coal. 9446. In each case, where possible, do you get a guarantee as to freelom?—No, I do not. Of course, knocking about myself, doing most of my own travelling, I come across many maltsters, and we have a chat with one another, and we have found out in that way a few collieries whose coal has proved: itself to be very good. I have never asked them for a guarantee of purity at all. I have received their reports, and I think I have one or two here. There is a tender here, “I beg to thank you for your esteemed favour of the 26th, and I have much pleasure in handing you our price for best malting coal free from arsenic, as you will see from report of our analyst, copy of which we send you herewith.” There is the analysis of the coal. 9447. You wish us to understand that if maltsters travelled about like yourself, and were careful as to the selection of the colliery, it would. be more valuable It is very easy to say, “They are guaranteed Tree from arsenic”; but L do not see really what good that is to us. The thing that we must go by is the purity of our malt after being dried. I have found that the best way. J do not think much about their guarantees. They do not bind themselves in any way. The analysts teli me they can get hold of a piece of coal that is perfectly free, but it does not say the whole truck is free. In a huge piece ci coal—and amthracite coal is in very large blocks, in- deed_——in breaking them down it is quite pcssible at times to come across a litile of the pyrites. You might analyse several pieces of coal out of the same truck and find them pure, and still find one piece with the pyrites which would give arsenic. At the same time there are no doubt seams wnicn are really very free trom sulphur, and where sulphur is, I believe arsenic is. 9448. Were you using in your malting process in August last gas coke, or last year at all 1—No. 9449. You were not using any gas coke in 1901?—No, not at all. 9450. Only anthracite ?—That is so. 9451. But. during the previous season did you use any gas coke?—I used a very little gas coke, because the season does not commence until the en] of Nep- tember or the beginning uf October, and I-changed in December absolutely to coal. a blend in the 1900-1901 season. Guarante¢ of malting fuel unsat factory. Some ¢g 00-1