Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-12-20
THE CITIZEN
Adulterated Foods in Ohio.

Adulterated Foods in Ohio.
Eight years ago the State Of Ohio passed
a law establishing the office of Dairy and
Food Commissioner" the incumbent o.
which was to be charged with the en-
fureement of all laws against fraud and
adulteration or impurities in foods, drinks.
or drugs, and unlawful labelling Since
that time various clauses looking to better
protection against fraud in TIE production
aud sale Il TODD products and drugs have
beer added. until now it is claimed that
the laws of Ohio IN this regard are superior
to those Of any other State, and only ap-
preached by those of Massachusetts,.
The carly work of the Ohio commission
was directed chiefly against adulterated
food and drinks. As preliminary to en-
forcemeut of the new laws, it subjected
samples Of numerous articles of diet in
common use to chemical and microscopic
ANALYSIS. The rather startling results fur
nished a basis for numerous arrests and
prosecutions, most Of which led to convic-
tion and punishment Of the eTring dealers
aud manufacturers An account OF these
things, as contained in a recently issued
official report of the eommi, siouer, DR.. +
&. McNeal, is most interesting reading.
Here, for example. we are told OF bak-
ing powders which besides being halt
starch 10 begin with, contain large guam
,itiss of alum and phosphoric acid; OF
.buekwheas" -four that is fifty per cent.
corn meal and wheat flour; Of ground
( cinnamon that is two-thirds fl our, ground
crackers, and foreign bars; OF 'cotfso" tnat
is three-fourihs pea shells, chiecUry, and
rye: of 'scream tartar" hat is impure gyp-
sum: of "currant," STRAW berry" and
other ieIlies compounded Of apples, giu-
cose. aniline dyes, compound etherS. anu
mineral acids: Of .'butter" that never
made the acquaintance Of a cow; of pep
per" that r strange congIomeraiion OF
cocoanut shells, rice, rice shells, and
bread or crackers; of ''wines" innocent OF
grape juice; OF pure leaf lards' that trace
their lineage direct to the cotton-seed; oi
''olive oils" chat are cousins german to the
..lards''; and of "molasses" and maple
| svrups" and 'honey" and allied sweets
whose CHEF constituent proves to be gla-
c0se.
| Whatever other feeling one may expe-
rience on running over the list, Of which
this is partial synopsis, hrs chief emotion
is pretty sure to be feeling Of indigna-
| ton For despite the statement of the
late Mr.. Barnum to the contrary, no one
really likes to be humbugged. We may
pay twenty five cents for cents worth of
/ glucose stained with aniIhe aud labelled
| 'jelIy," but tie person who sells ii to Us
Will not be fortified in our estimation or
| insured our future patronage by disclosure
Of The fraud he has practised upon US. The
wholesale grocers of Ohio understood this
when they joined together with open cof-
fers last fall to defeat the commissioner
VINO had exposed the prevailing methods
of food adulteration. And the people fur
nished the best possible refutation of Mr.
| Barnum s aphorlsm when they cried the
| grOcerS down, and reelected the commits
siuner
| Stimulated to renewed efforts by this
evidence of popular approval, the Ohio
commission has recently extended its field
of operations by bringing the druggists
within the scope of its inquiry. Here is a
field even more fruitful than the other, and
a fight is on of which the end is not yet.
Tue commission declares, to cite but a
single case of illustration, that a certain
very widely advertised alleged medicinal
and fattening food, which sells for a dol
lar bottle, is in reality only our old
friend glucose in disguise. The firm that
mas thus solved the problem Of the alchem-
lists naturally shows fight, ana the legal
battle that is pending will probably not be
decided in single court. This of course
is only test case, precursory OF many
| Others.
Unless the patent medicine venders can
prove the chemists at fault By very com
PetenL evidence, the sympathy of long
victimized public will certainly be with
the Ohio commission in its new crusade.
| In any event, the commission Is dong u
fine work, and one that should speedily
| be initiated IL other States. As a Stimu-
lus thereto, il may interest people at large
to know that carloads of adulierated
foods are now being shipped out Of OHIO,
their sale there having been rendered too
| hazardous by the activity of the commits
sion; while Eastern manufactures have
been warned by OHIO dealers that they
must warrant supplies or lose their custom.
1t is plain, therefore, that there are graft
fying elements Of practical efficiency aboat
! the laws that protect citizens of OHIO
against fraudulent adulteration of their
| eatables and drnkabes. 1t is equally
| plain that other States must follow this
good example, and that those that are last
to do 50 may feel sure Of having the larg-
est percentage OF adulterated manufactures
supplied their residents