The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-11
IMPURE FOOD STUFFS
SOME OF THEM DESCRIBED AT A
PLYMOUTH CHURCH MEETING.
Prof. w. e. Stone and Prof. Severance
OF Food-Aduiteration Laws.

Pure food and food adulteration was dis
cussed at a meeting held under the auspices
Of the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union at Plymouth Church last night. The
meeting was addressed at length by Prof. W.
E. Stone. OF the department of chemistry at
Purdue University. and Prof. Severance
Burrage, OF the department OF sanitary
science of the same institution. The meet
ing was held for the purpose OF creating q
sentiment against the custom OF adulterat-
ing food products, with the ultimate object
in view OF securing remedial legislation.
There are wholesome laws In the four States
bordering upon Indiana upon the subject
and also pharmacy law which guarantees
to some extent that pure drugs will be sold
by competent pharmacists. The absence Of
such laws in this State makes il dumping
ground for impure articles and incompetent
druggists Of the other States.
Professor Stone made the statement that
nearly every article OF food was systemati-
cally adulterated A thorough investigation,
carried on In England recently. disclosed
the fact that, OF all al ticles OF common use
examined, loaf sugar and common salt alone
were not adulterated. In Massachusetts, five
thousand articles OF common consumption
to be adulterated: in New Jersey % per cent
These latter Investigations were carried on
in States where there are some sort of re-
strictions, and the adulteration OF food could
only be carried on under unfavorable circum-
stances. In Indiana the circumstances were
most favorable, and the results must be most
alarming.
Adulteration was the most frequent, Pro-
lessor Stone said, in canned goods. Most all
green goods were covered with poisonous
metals. Then there was the danger of COP
per, lead and tin, the two last being dis,
the surface OF the can. To prevent fermen-
tetion salicylic acid was often used, but this
was perhaps worse than the tin and lead
50 bad in its effect that the German govern
ment had prohibited its use.
Less harmful but more frequent use of
adulteration was made in the case of coffee
and spices, no less than co per cent. of which
was adulterated. Nearly all OF that sold
ground, and a great deal OF that sold whole,
was adulterated. The coffee bean was paint
ed often to give ii the color OF q superior
grade. II was sometimes increased in size
by steaming, and often increased in weight
by the use OF metals. Prussian blue. chrome
IN the adulteration or making-over process
OF foodstuffs. Professor Stone gave a num-
Der OF other. examples. showing that almost
everything. is adulterated. Even bread is
adulterated by the use of corn meal Milk
and its product was the most adulterated OF
all food. he thought Even the medicines
exempt from the curse of adulteration.
laudanum should contain per cent. OF NOR
ined by the Philadelphia Pharmaceutical So
clety, but four came up to the standard.
Most quinine is also lacking in its essential
principle
Professor Stone estimates that consid-
cred from a pecuniary standpoint, the effect
OF adulteration was the loss in millions to
the consumers, and the loss Of millions an
nuaHy In foreign trade-for foreign nations
had placed an embargo upon many Amer
lean products because of the danger of
aduiteration. The moral side. he consid-
cred as far more serious than the Pc
cun1ary side. 1t tends to make people dis
honest by placing premium upon dishon-
esty- 1t blunted the moral sense and had a
generally demoraliZing effect. Further, he
said, the adulteration of food greatly in
creased the mortality, especially among in
fants, on account Of the impurity OF milk
he also attributed much of the evil of in
temperance to the adulteration of liquors
As to the means of remedying the great
evils OF adulteration, Professor Stone sug-
gested legislation and moral influence. He
pie all over the State became awakened To
its Importance. He. hoped, however that a
crusade against impure foods and medicines
would be started, which would result in the
passage of laws to protect the people. He
stated that the greatest harm was done The
poorer and more ignorant people, who nat.
urally used the cheapest articles of food
1t was natural that children fed upon poi
sons should not become healthy men anc
women, elmer physically or mentally. II
was, therefore. a duty which the wealthy
and Intelligent. owed to society TO urge The
passage OF laws which would prevent sys
tematic collaboration Of food.
Professor Burrege spoke of the contarnf
nation or pollution of water and milk. as
we'll as many articles OF food by careless
ness of those who handle them and by ex
posture to contaminated air. He emphasized
the remarks of Professor Stone regarding
milk, saying that it was too frequently the
case that milk was the means of conveying
disease, generally through carelessness.
President Smart, of Purdue, was in the
audience, and when called upon spoke brief
| ly of the Importance of some law fixing &
standard for pharmacists. He said tina
few physicians know, when they send to
drug store to have a prescription filed
whether they will get the drugs ordered
The stringent laws in adjoining States hat
caused incompetent druggists to locate ii
| this State. They were a great evil anc
| should not be tolerated
DR.. Hurry said that the adulteration O
| food was largely on account of a demanc
| for cheap article. So far as adu,teratior
| was harmless. he did not see that mucl
could be accomplished in the way of RENE
dy, for without adulteration many article:
| of food would be placed above the reach o
| the poor classes who preferred cheal
| adulterated article to none. But whel
| adufteration was harmful, the law agains
| the practice could not be made too severe.