Painted Pails

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A correspondent writing from New Lebanon, N Y, informs us that a cheap description of pails, "painted inside," are extensively used in that region for gathering maple sap; and as the paint is very soon removed, some persons are afraid of lead being in it, which is a dangerous poison Our opinion is solicited in regard to this question Of course we cannot tell whether there is or is not lead in the paint employed for these pails, but if there" is, the detection of it is a very simple affair Let any person take one of these pails and scrape some of the paint from it into a tumbler, then pour some boiling hot soft water upon it, and stir it up for a few minutes Now take some bichromate of potash, (a piece about the size of a pea,) and dissolve it in another tumblerful of water, and then mix the two solutions together If there is any lead present it will form a light yellow precipitate; the iodide of potassium also forms a yellow precipitate with lead, and the hydrosulphuret of ammonia a black precipitate These simple reagents can easily be applied to detect very minute quantities of lead in solution Our correspondent also asks us if it is advisable or right, to use pails that are painted inside for holding water or milk for drinking We think it is not advisable to use such pails for these purposes, nor is there the least necessity , for painting them As white lead acts as a f,? poison when taken into the stomach, it should never be used for painting any vessel designed Sfeto contain food or drink

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