The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-05-17
The Slow PoisoIls
Used in Our Food.
PURE FOOD COMMISSION
Has STARTLING EVI.
DENCE.

vstine, freeze 'm. rosa'in and iastone
are things few people knew of, bus that
they take these adulterau.s into their
ssomachs was stated by Prof. A. s.
Mitchell. analytical chemist of the
Wisconsin dairy and food commlssioc
TO the senatorial committee on pure
food investigation today Prot Mitch
eli gave the committee some important
information. rs result Senator
Mason has had several manufacturers
snbpoensed ana they will be called on
tomorrow probably to tell the committee
something about these compounds
s.The use of ansiseptics as preserva-
siyss, said Prof. Mitchell, ''has
become alarmingly great. They are
used az coloring and to stop the devei-
opment of germs in dairy products ;
also in chopped meata, bulk oysters.
fsh. hams and possibly eorned beef
Prof. A. s. Mitchell made the sworn
statement that nearly every butcher IN
Illinois used preserving liquids on
scraps Of meat which they laid aside
for the manufacture Of Hamburger
steak and other alleged delicscies.
The chemist 6rst told Of his test Of q
LIQUID known as '.freezine." Prot.
Mitchell said that the stuff had been
nsed extensively by farmers to keep
milk and butter, it being the custom
10 mix i. with che former in small
quan.isies and peur quartz Of 1t into
va.s for the preservation Of butter.
4.Tbis sfreezine' I have found to be
nothing less than almost pure formic
alaehyden narrated the expert. ''fhis
;s 4 chemical thar acts disastrously on
the tissues of she stomach, aud ] can
only surmise the results when milk
diluted With /. is used constantly By 3
family. Where butter is plsced IN vsts
filed with the stuff she porous eommod.
ity takes up no small amour. Of the
loud With result chat can only be
coDjectured.
The professor proceeded to tell oil bis
experiments With aaid sold exten.
sisely to butchers for the purpose OF
making their hamburger steaks last and
keep up healthy appearance.
.sThis liquid contains 10 great per-
centage what is known as sulphide OF
soda With complement Of coloring
matter, !, be continued. ..Is is styled
sn arsisepsie and in certain respects it
10. This must be borne 10 mind, bow.
eser, .ha. where fermentation and waste
are arrested the digestive properties are
consequently destroyed.
Dr.. Wiley, the government expert,
vho examined the snsisepsic without
going on the stand, said be identified
It as practically the came chemical
which sas used during bis expe-
sience at a medical college to pre-.
serve csdsyers end was nov coca
aionail7 pat to service 10 disinfecs.
ing houses where smallpox patients
resided.
Ths testimony assumed the form of q
debate as to whether or not the use Of
alum 10 the manufacture of baking
powder is injurious to the public health.
George W. Rev, 8 chemist. stated
the Injurious characteristics Of alum are
sse destroyed in the process Of baking.
Prof. G. N. 8. Haliberg, former
editor Of the western druggist. and
Prof. Mitchell combasted this theory
and expressed the opinion that alum
should not be used as an ingredient un.
less .be public was aware OF t5s fact by
labels on the cana.
The common bases for the majority
of jeilies manufactured nowadays, ac.
eerding to several witnesses. are the
cores and pairing Of apples. utilized at.
ter they had been evsporated- This
substance. it was claimed, is mixed
with glucose in lsrge qusntises and
then colored and favored to snit tbs
outside design on the package.