The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-02-27
Slaughter of the Innocents.

lnefe are very Few people VINO pay
any attention to the food they eat OIL
the remedies they take for ailments.
The proper knowledge of the adultera-
lions which the cupidity of men resort
to, reckless of life and Indifferent to
everything but mercenary gain, is so
limited that the following statement
will astound them A subcommittee of
the Agricultural Committee of the House
of Representatives, has had the matter
of food authorizations under investiga-
ton, and calls attention to most alarm
ing results of the wholesale adultera-
ton of food all over the country
According to the report of the special
agent about fifteen per cent of the food
sold in this country represents ''adulter-
alton, sophistication, and misbranding,
making a total loss to the people of
about $679, 100000 year." This may be
an overestimate, but it is certain, from
the official statements, that the loss is
very large The export trade is said to
have been greatly injured by the adul-
terations, particularly in butter, cheese,
lard and other Agricultural products
This and the general sale of adulterated
food in this country, it is claimed, not
only depreciate the price Of farm pro-
ducts, but spreads disease broadcast.
A few of the states have stringent laws
on the subject now, though the report
states that Pennsylvania is not one of
them, as evidenced from the recent ex-
posture of Philadelphia concern manu-
featuring bogus coffee.
Out of a large number of drug samples
examined, A per cent were found either
aduterated or deficient in strength.
Quinine, morphine and iron were found
frequently adulterated and below the
standard. A great many adulterated
articles are imported, and France, which
excludes American hogs, sends canned
peas and other vegetables prepared with
poisonous substances. The length to
which the adulteration is carried on is
shown in the fact that ground soapstone
is said to be used to aduterate meal and
flour.
The sale of diseased milk is so com
mon that it is stated in the report that
100000 children die annually in the cities
OF this country from its use. A great
deal of diseased IN ik. taken from one
state to another, would thus be shbject
to an Interstate law Diseased meat is
also responsible for large number of
deaths.
Legislation by Congress is urged on
various grounds. First, for the protec-
ton of the public health, the evidence
showing that deadly poisons are daily
resorted to for purposes of adulteration
to the injury of the health and the de-
struction of the lives of thousands.
There is scarcely a poisonous pigment
known which is not thus employed.
Adulterated drinks of all kinds, includ-
ing vinous, malt, distilled liquors and
the numerous beverages sold in drug
stores is said to be largely responsible
for the alarming increases of the late
years in nervous cerebral and kidney
diseases.
show that 100000 deaths are caused
every year by tuberculosis, and almost
the only available means of prevention
suggested by the medical commissions
which have investigated the subject, is
the protection of the consumer from
food derived from tuberculosis animals.
The change in the method of slaughter
ing by which the business is concentra-
ted in a few centres and the meat ship
ped in cold storage to all parts of the
country for sale shows a great reason for
national inspection. If there was pro-
per inspection in this way the sale of
American pork in European countries
would not be prohibited and the out
break of communicable diseases among
live stock would be promptly discovered
and controlled.