The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-10
Concerning aduiteration.

y
:. little or no alarm exists in the public
y mind regarding the general wholesome
!. ness OF the food supply, for the reason
! that, as a whole, it is purer than ever
before. The special committee ap-
y pointed by the Citizens Association Of
chicago to investigate the subject of
food aduIteration has made a very
sensible report upon the matter, and
= while flnding that adulteration is prac-
{ ticed with some articles the committee
!; state that lit is fortunate for the COM
mun1ty the most common and nutri-
tlous food in use either cannot be man.
{ lpuIated or is so cheap as to render the
: process Improbable -
The everyday experience of con-
+ sumers demonstrates to each indiyidu-
0 al the truth of the above. It is the
i abuse OF food or the willful disregard
r OF prudence in selecting food that is
: the parent of most of the illness at
tributed to adulteration or poison.
|, Inc methods of production and
manufacture of food have so improved
during the past-twenty-fiYe years that
the average quality of the worlds food
| supply has been raised to a point far
above that which formerly prevailed.
Says Sir James Paget in accounting
: for the diminished source of disease.
. "We have better, cheaper and more
various food. y This statement finds
abundant confirmation in the reports of
scientific men who are constantly ex-
amining the character of the food sup
ply. For instance, in the report of
James Bel, Principal of the Somerset |
House Laboratory, etc, he says in refer !
ence to tea: Happily, at the present |
time, great change has taken place /
for the better IN the qualities of the |
teas found in commerce and supplied |
to the public" In the case of the I
Health Department of this city versus
Purdon, alluded to in the Chicago re-
port, the defendant won the suit, be-
cause there was no satisfactory proof
that the effect of such adulteration is
| to render the tea seriously detrimental
to health and unwholesome as an arti-
| Gle of drink" If, in addition to the
confidence of the public in the general
| wholesomeness of food, there was |
more of common sense exercised in its
selection, causes of complaint would be
! Jar less numerous.
Chemistry has wrought wonders in
cheapening the cost and improving the
quality of food, independent of its
| achievements in the field of. food pres.
ervation. 1t has utilized vegetable
products formerly wasted and trans
formed them into wholesome articles
of food. Cotton seed oil is undoubted-
ly better and more wholesome frying
medium than lard. Glucose and oleO-
margarine, if properly made, are un-
objeetional in health point of view, |
and, if sold for what they are, as is |
done by all respectable houses, they
are benefit to the community.
The world has never seen tine time [
when there was as great a variety of
cheap and wholesome food available .
for the masses as at present Best of
all is that steam transportation has
made it possible for the citizens of eV-
cry country upon the globe to enjoy the
staples and luxuries produced through
out the world. There is an interna-
tional exchange of food of superb
quality that is wonderful in its extent
The Chicago report also states well t
recognized factor in the situation in Z
the declaration that: I'm the main,
the compound used to reduce the quail
ity or increase the bulk of any article :
of food or drink is not injurious to b
health. Is it any wonder that the d
people are apathetic if the bulk of the | f
food is nutritious and the greater part ;
of the adulterants used are harmless?
1t cannot be denied, however, that /
food and drugs are to some extent de- !,
based with articles which are in them-
selves dangerous. Laws against this :
already exist. and by proper system d
of inspection they can be enforced. n
The foolish demands of consumers are
in some cases directly responsible for =
this, as in the color of confectionery, A
mustard and coffee.
Retail merchants who come in con- +
tact with consumers can do much to o
educate them out of such foolish pref b
erences, and also by encouraging those y
manufacturers and dealers who endeav- y
OF to sell pure goods. Retail mer- c
chants should study the quality of the a
goods they buy more thoroughly than n
at present
The very fact that manufactured a
goods are offered below the cost OF the h
article in its crude state is evidence s
enough of its manipulation. Recently Ii
q party bought mustard in this city at Il
81 cent per pound. 1t consisted OF 80 c
per cent. of flour, and the balance /,
something to give the stuff pungency,
the mixture being colored with naph- 3
liza yGIAOsFs a AAO VI VI $500 - | II
self-confessed fraud. "
We must admit, however, that many d
of the tales of adulteration are absurd q
and others exaggerated by parties in Al
terested in depreciating the stock of
competitor. We find many physicians, 3
chemists and other specially interested
parties spreading false or exaggerated i
reports of adulteration or poisoning d
from the. use of food in obedience to a
an Unsuitable craving for notoriety. II
The stories of coffee beans made i
from dough, and sugar adulterated fc
with sand, are illustrations of how an d
absurdity is made to appear truth. The 3
fierce war which is being waged against n
manufacturers of baking powder Illus B
trates that competition does not always
debase, and that If rightly exerted it Il
NAV exert a powerful influence in pre- Il
venting adulteration. The best pack
ers of canned goods abandoned the in
side soldering of cans to remove one a,
cause of public criticism. And in their T
own interest they viii undoubtedly +
seek to make any improvements which +
experience may suggest as beneficial to i
health or pleasing to the palate. y
The Chicago report is right in its = =
declaration that s'what we need, pri- =
marily, is National law. The time, !,
however. will not be ripe for that until = =
more of the States enact law similar I
to that adopted by New York, New :, i
Jersey, Illinois and sachusettts, = =
and to ali intents and purposes iden- : !,
tical. . :
In this State the existing law would E
be sufficient to eradicate al the evils of
adulterations were money provided 4
whereby the State and local boards Of e
health could make it effective. The 8
Legislature provides remedy and 2
then makes il imperative for want Of q
funds.
No consumer who deals with retail e
ers of high character need ever fear 9
danger from the use Of food. All the 2
laws in the world are worthless Il not g
executed. Then again those who ad-
vocate heaping Legislative Pelion on
Ossa proeeed upon the assumption that b
consumers have not the slightest abili-
Il to decide between what is good and y
what IS bad. and that they viii proceed 3
indefinitelv to consume goods Of bad /
quslstv. unless protected by law. Sure- c
II something can be trusted to the PAL 4
ete and good judgment of the average t
consumer. and is It not possible that 8
naterna1 legislation can be carried too 4
1ar il regulating our family affairs - q
4f,efseaa Grocer ard Dry Goods Chron- 7
icle. !
The cholera panic ii France recalls e
an incident Of the elder Dumas IN 1882 s
his servant rushed into his room one i
davxs crrinr. ssIhe cholera Is ia eartsi | b
is@s.., Is <sssk fa1fan dead with Il in