§ MR. KILBRIDEI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the results to public health of the use of sulphuric acid in the manufacture of glucose, afterwards resulting in beer poisoning; and as sulphuric acid is used in the manufacture of patent spirit from molasses, will steps be taken by the Excise authorities or the Local Government Board to prevent this product being sold to the public as genuine whisky.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMy attention and that of my advisers has for a long time been directed to this matter. A Royal Commission was appointed in 1901 "to inquire into arsenical poisoning from the consumption of beer and other articles of food and drink" and issued its final Report last November. The President of the Local Government Board and myself are considering whether in the public interest any further legal powers should be given to the Departments concerned. The Board of Inland Revenue have not under the present law any control over the sale of patent spirits made from molasses which has been inverted by the use of sulphuric acid; and I do not anticipate that it will be necessary to give them any such power. There is no evidence that arsenic or other similar poison has been found in patent spirit, and I am advised that even if such poison existed in any material, such as molasses or malt, before distillation, it would not be found in the distilled spirit.