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Translated from the German “ Aus der Nature.” Utensils of copper are held in high esteem by most ladies, because they form when well scoured, a kind of ornament to the kitchen. They do not however, take into consideration that food may be poisoned when cooked therein. It has been stated, though scarcely to be believed, that articles of food containing acids may be prepared in copper vessels without any injurious effect, if they be not allowed to remain in such vessels any length of time. This opinion has even been sustained by men of science, who maintain that the action of the acid upon the metal is prevented, because the vapors which are constantly generated in cooking prevent oxidation taking place. Recent investigations, however, have proved beyond doubt that this supposition is incorrect. Pleischl, in Vienna, showed that cabbage, fresh and dried plumsetc, absorb a quantity of copper sufficient to cause injurious effects within one hour's boiling in pans made of this metal. Meat also, because of the acids, it contains, is acted upon by copper. This is also the case with water when it contains chloride of sodium or salt, which is rarely ever lacking in spring water. Copper is also readily dissolved by oil. In placing a drop of oil upon polished copper, it will be seen that the oil soon assumes a dark bluish green color, which change is due to the fact that the oxide of copper formed, has combined with the fatty acids contained in the oil. The power of solubility is, of course, considerably increased when the oil or lard has previously been subjected to the action of heat. Quite recently Dr. Wald asserted in a German periodical that copper is not poisonous and the objection to utensils of copper therefore unfounded. He asserts that no case of poisoning by salts of copper is recorded ! The doctor certainly must be unacquainted with Orfila's toxicology or similar works. Copper, as long as it remains metallic, is indeed not always injurious to the system Instances are known where individuals have swallowed copper coins and discharged them again without the least injury, and Drouard has administered nearly one ounce of finely pulverized metallic copper to a dozen dogs, without observing any case of poisoning. Still, Orfila himself relates that an individual in swallowing copper powder was seriously affected. It is also well known that braziers and electrotypers are often subject to a peculiar disease called copper colic. Its symptoms are fever with violent pains in the bowels. * The sickness itself consists in inflammation of the stomach and the intestines, and is produced by the introduction of finely divided copper into the system. The late Professor Eunge also mentions that a dealer of the oxide of copper, in Berlin, was unable to obtain laborers for collecting and packing it, because of the illness it occasioned among them. Orfila relates several cases of poisoning which were produced by salts of copper. Five children, of from three to elev.en years of age, were taken ill after eating bonbons which had been colored green by the vessel in which they were prepared. Drouard suffered three days from colic and diarrhea after having eaten a " ragout " prepared from the wine of a cask of which the cock was found to be oxidized. Orfila says that a dog died in less than three hours from the effects of a dose of verdigris not exceeding fifteen grains. A small one died in sixty-five minutes from a dose of sulphate of copper of forty grains. Death, also, took place invariably when the sulphate of copper was applied upon wounds. Renne in his treatise on judicial chemistry also relates a number of cases of poisoning by copper. We admit that cooking utensils of copper very rarely cause sudden death ; but are they,nevertheless,to be calledjharmless ? If the copper taken up by food acts but slowly, it does not act with less certainty, no matter whether this may at the time be positively proved or not. That utensils of copper may be dangerous in certain cases seems to be known to cooks, for we have never found any who used copper pans for frying omelets. The distinguished French chemist Chevallier who treats upon this question in a memoir recently presented to the French Academy of Sciences has been led to somewhat different conclusions from those of r. Wald. After having quoted numerous instances of poisoning caused by food prepared in copper pans, concludes as follows : " All the facts which have come to my knowledge, prove positively that the use of utensils of copper for culinary purposes is dangerous, and that it is unwise to say that copper and its salts are not injurious, or that cooking utensils of this metal are harmless." Chevallier suggests that copper ware employed in the kitchen should always be coated with tin. In Paris, and the department de la Seine, this is already the case, but he demands that the respective decree be made a law in all the departments, or that the mayors of the cities direct attention to the great importance of tinned copper. We find that in Sweden, though copper is one of the principal products of that country, the use of copper vessels is prohibited for the preparation as well as for the preservation of food. In 1774, the clief de police, in Paris, forbade the dealers of milk to carry the same in vessels of this metal, and even before that date a large establishment was founded in that city for the making of iron utensils for culinary purposes. At first, however, they met with little success, but gradually they came more into use. In 1790 copper vessels were made, the inner surface of which were silverplated. It was also, recently proposed to silverplate iron. The silverplating of copper, aside from the expense, cannot be recommended. The silver, because of its soft nature, is easily detached, leaving the copper surface exposed, and wherever this is the case the copper is more readily attacked than otherwise. The reason for this is found in the electro- chemical action which occurs. Cast iron vessels with enam-3led surfaces inside are better for culinary purposes. The en-imel, however, should be free from lead. The presence of copper in liquid food is readily detected by lolding in it a knife blade for about ten minutes. If copper s present, it is thrown down upon the iron and can easily oe recognized by it red color. We find it stated in various cook-books that in order to restore the green color of pickled cucumbers, a copper coin should be dissolved in the vinegar. The evil effect of such a process must be apparent to all. .-------------- -------------. Clirome Green. Oxides of chrome are prepared either in the dry or wet way ; obtained thus, they vary from greenish grey to a more Dr less deep greenish yellow. They generally have neither brilliancy nor freshness. It is possible, however, to produce green oxides of chrome which are not devoid of beauty. One of the most intelligent chemists of the commercial world, M. Casthelaz, has, conjointly with M. Leune, prepared a chrome green, which is justly styled imperial green. This coloring-matter of a superior brilliancy is obtained, exclusively by the wet way. The process consists in slowly precipitating chrome salts by treating them withhydrated metallic oxides, insoluble, or but slightly soluble, in water, or by hydrated metallic carbonates, or hydrated metallic sulphides, or, again, by other salts of weak acids, which easily leave their bases; the action is only produced progressively, and the oxide of chromium is precipitated in the hydrated form ; the color of the compound is magnificent, of a deep emeral green. For this preparation, it is convenient to adopt economical reagents, such as gelatinous alumina, oxide of zinc, carbonate of zinc, sulphide of zinc, etc., whose price is reasonable. The same result may be obtained by treating a chrome salt with the non-alkaline metals, which have a sufficient affinity to unite with acid of the chrome salt and precipitate the oxide. Iron and zinc will be more particularly used, as they are cheaper. It is necessary to select from among the metals, with their oxides and salts, those which, with the acid of the chrome salt, give soluble salts, as they should be removed by washing. If recourse is had to reagents forming, with the acid of the chrome salt, insoluble salts, it is only in order to modify the color and composition of the chrome precipitates and of the green color thus formed. As to the magnificent imperial green color obtained by M. Casthelaz, it possesses properties which will enable manufacturers ultimately to renounce the justly condemned and dangerous copper and arsenic greens. The use of the imperial green removes all danger from insalubrity ; it is an impalpable substance, of perfect tenuity. It is believed that this property will cause the new green to be adopted for printing on stuffs, and for other purposes. The oxides of chrome known up to the present time, and generally obtained in the dry way, cannot, by pulverization, attain to the degree of fineness of the imperial green. It is expected that this substance will have great success in oil painting, colored papers, colors, and artificial flowers, printing, lithography, perfumery, and soap manufacture, as well as in the making of glass and in tne ceramic arts. Moniteur cicntifique.