The somewhat sensational accounts of an epidemic of arsenical poisoning
in Manchester published last week have been in great measure justified by the spread of the malady throughout that district, numerous cases of "peripheral neuritis" having been reported from Liverpool, Cheater, Hey- wood, and other large towns, and no fewer than silty deaths from first to last being assigned to this cause. The epidemic is now generally believed to be due to the use of impure sulphuric acid in the chemical treatment of " invert sugar" and "glucose" employed in brewing beer. Dr. Reynolds, a Manchester doctor, to whom the credit of tracing the epidemic to beer-poisoning is due, has publicly stated at an inquest that he had purchased some beer in Halm° in which analysis revealed the presence of "any amount of arsenic "; and the Manchester Brewers' Associa- tion have promptly appointed a committee of scientific men, including Sir Thomas Lauder Brunton and Mr. Fletcher Moulton, Q.C., M.P., to inquire into the whole matter.
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