The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-10
QUEER THINGS We EAT
F'reezine Used to Preserve Butter
and Milk.
FRAUD ON THE STOMACH
Wholesale Adulteration OF Foods-Ham-
burger Steaks Delusion-Alum
in Baking Powder-Glucose
for Jellies.


line, Freeze En- rosaline and laktone
are things few people know of, but that
they take these authorizations into their
stomachs was stated by Prof. A. l.
Mitchell, analytical chemist of the Wis
consin dairy and food commission to
the senatorial committee on pure food
investigation to-day.
Professor Mitchell gave the commit
tee some important information. AS a
result, Senator Mason has had several
manufacturers subpoenaed, and they
will be called tomorrow to tell the
commission something about these COM
pounds.
1.-The use of antiseptics as preserva-
tives," said Professor Mitchell, has
become alarmingly great They are
used as colorings and to stop the de-
velopment of germs in dairy products
and shipped meats, oysters, fish, hams
and possibly corned beef"
Prof. Mitchell made the sworn state
ment that nearly every butcher in Hi
nois used preserving liquids on scraps
of meat which they laid aside for the
manufacturer of hamburger steaks and
other alleged delicacies.
The chemist first told of a liquid
known as "freezine." Prof. Mitchell
said that the stuff had been used ex-
tensively by farmers to keep milk and
butter, it being the custom to mix it
with the former in small quantities and
put it into watts for the preservation of
butter.
This 'freezine' I have found to be
nothing less than almost pure formic
aldehyde," narrated the expert. This
is a chemical that acts disastrously on
the tissue of the stomach and I can
only surmise the results when milk di-
luted with it is used constantly by a
family. Where butter is placed in watts
| filled with this stuff, the porous COM
modify takes up no small part of the
liquid, with a result that can only be
| conjectured.''
The professor proceeded to tell of his
| experiments with fluid sold extensive
| ly ITO butchers for the purpose of maxi
| ing their hamburger steaks last and
keep up healthy appearance.
| This liquid contains in great per
| cent what is known as sulphide of soda,
with a complement of coloring matter"
he continued. TT is styled an antisep-
| tic and in certain respects is. This must
| be borne in mind, however, that where
| fermentation and waste are the digest
i've properties are consequently de-
| stroyed.'
| LII. WHEY, the government expert
who examined the antiseptic without
going on the stand, said he identified
it as practically the same chemical
which was used during his experience
at medical colleges to preserve cadavers
and was now occasionally put to SER
vice in disinfecting houses where small
pox patients resided.
| The testimony early in the day as
sumed the form of a debate as tc
whether or not the use of alum in the
manufacture of baking powder is in
furious to the public health.
George w. Rev, a chemist, stated
that the injurious character of alum
was destroyed in the process of bak.
ing.
Prof. c. N. Shallberg. former editor
of the Western Druggist, and Professor
Mitchell comhatted this theory and ex.
pressed the opinion that alum Should
not be used as an ingredient unless the
public was made aware of the fact by
labels on the cans.
The common basis of jellies manu-
featured nowadays, according to sew
eral witnesses, are the cores and pairing
of apples. utilized after they had beer
evaporated. This substance, it wa:
claimed, is mixed with glucose in large
quantities, with sugar in small guam
titles and then colored and f1ovored tx
suit the outside design on the pack
age.