The San Francisco call., 1897-03-18
MANY JELL|ES
ARE ADULTERATED
Report of Chemist Wenzell
of the Board Of
Health.
The Department Alarmed Over
the Spread OF Contagious
Diseases.
A Conference on Pure.F oil Subjects
Is 10 Be Held Tomorrow
Evening.

Buying jelly is like buying lottery tick
cts these days. You "pays your money
and takes your choice" but it is about
to shot that you don't get what you
pay for, no matter what your choice may
be. II currant jelly is what you want you
may ger mixture of apple and currant
jelly, or it may be apple jelly and starch
coIored with anime dye, or again it may
have coal-tar colors and acetic acid mixed
in. Chemist Wenzell of the Board OF
Health has been delving into the mys-
teries of currant jellies for a month pas:
and the result of his labors was made
known at the meeting OF the board yes
terday.
He analyzed thirty-three samples pur-
chased at groceries in various parts OF
town, and of these only nine were found
to be pure. Ten were found to be adul-
terated 30 as to be dangerous as food,
fourteen were not currant jelly but mix
lures of the product of the currant and
apple Jelly, and one too much decom-
posed to tell what it was.
The result of his Investigations will
probably be the arrest Of the men who
sold the goods for violating the pure-food
laws.
The board Is again very much alarmed
over the spread of contagious diseases,
and will redouble its efforts to check them.
DR.. Williamson, chairman of the commit
tee on epidemics and contagious diseases,
rendered report in which he stated that
measles was epidemic in all parts of the
City except on Telegraph and Russian
hills, and that 781 cases had been reported
during February, with six deaths.
There were thirteen cases of diphtheria,
with three deaths, nine Of typhoid fever,
with two deaths, and nine of scarlatina,
with no deaths.
The committee further stated that diph.
iberia was spreading, twenty cases with
eight deaths having occurred since the
Isl inst, with half the month yet to hear
from.
The committee urged that the board
take some measures TO compel physicians
to report cases OF tuberculosis, stating hat
the doctors were neglecting to comply
with the law.
On the recomm endation of the Health
Officer the following buildings were Or
dered vacated until they can be placed in
sanitary condition: II and 19 Washington
alley; 1000, 1902, 1904 and 1905 Dupont
street; buildings on the southerly line of
Bartlett, between Pacific street and Bart
lett alley; southeast corner of Bartlett
alley and Pacific street; 910, 912, 914, GIG
and 918 kearDy street. The report was
adopted. The same course was taken
with q corral situated between N and P
streets and Twelfth and Thirteenth
avenues. A nuisance was declared to ex-
ist in q vacant lot on the northeast corner
of P street south and Thirteenth avenue
south.
The board appointed Patrick Lydon an
assistant Laundry inspector and J. Kelly
an ambulance driver, each at salary Of
SIS per month.
Drs. Morse. Hart and Fitzgibbon were
appointed committee to see the Auditor
to try to induce that official to audit bills
amounting to $299 30 contracted by the
Health Officer, secretary and Attorney
Reinstein, who is not connected with the
board in an official capacity, while lobby
ing Board of Health bills through the
Legislature.
A resolution was passed callingsa con-
ference for tomorrow evening at $3.50 o1
the Pure Food Committee of the Council
of Associated Industries and represen a.
tives of the Merchants Associat ton,
Chamber of Commerce. Manufacturers
and Producers Association. San Francisco
Fruit Exchange, State Board of Trade,
San Francisco Produce Exchange, Me.
chanics' Institute, State Development
Committee and San Francisco Board oil
Trade.