Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons, A.

London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1820. A Pioneering Work in the Field of Food Chemistry and Safety

ACCUM, Fredrick. A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons, exhibiting the fraudulent Sophistications of Bread, Beer, Wine, Spirituous Liquors, Tea, Coffee... and other Articles employed in domestic economy. And methods of detecting them. The second edition. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1820.

Second edition. Small octavo (6 7/8 x 4 1/4 inches; 175 x 108 mm.). Engraved vignette title-page, [xxiv], [1]-360 pp.

Rebound to style in full calf, spine tooled in blind, tan morocco label lettered in gilt. Some minor foxing, otherwise an excellent example.

Frederich Christian Accum (1769-1838) was a German chemist, whose most important achievements included advances in the field of gas lighting, efforts to keep processed foods free from dangerous additives, and the promotion of interest in the science of chemistry to the general populace.

A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons, was a pioneering work in the field of food chemistry and safety. It was first published in 1820 and reached a second edition, the same year. The book exposed the various fraudulent practices in the preparation of common food and drink items during the early 19th century.

Accum focused on revealing the adulterations present in a variety of food products, including bread, beer, wine, spirituous liquors, tea, coffee, and other household items.

The treatise was part of the broader social reform movement that sought to address public health concerns arising from the widespread adulteration of food and drinks. The book not only exposed the fraudulent practices but also provided methods for detecting adulterations, empowering consumers to make informed choices about the food they purchased.

Axford, p. 397; Bitting, p. 2; Cagle 532 (1st edn); Simon BG 17.