The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-10
Among the Alleged Dangerous Com
ers, Dairymen and Others.
CHOPPED MEAT AND OYSTERS
BUTTER, MILK, FISH AND POSSIBLY
CORN BEEF DOCTORED
With the Same Aptiseptics as Em-
ployed I'm Preserving Cadavers,
According to DIR. Wiley.

CHICAGO, May 9.-"FreeZine, preserv-
aline," freeze EN- ''rosain" and LAX
tone" are things few people know of, but
that they take these authorizations into theif
stomachs was stated by Prof. A. s. Mitca-
ELL analytical chemist of the Wisconsin
Dairy and Food Commission, TO the sena-
torial committee on pure food investigation
to-day. Professor Mitchell gave the COM
mittee some important information. AS a
result Senator Mason has had several man
ufacturers subpoenaed and they will be
called on tomorrow, probably, TO tell the
committee something about these COM
pounds. '"The use OF antiseptics as pre-
servatives,' said Professor Mitchell, has
become alarmingly great. They are used
as colorings and to stop the development of
germs in dairy products; also, in chopped
meats, bulk oysters, fish. hams, and, possi-
bly,. corned beef"
During his testimony Prof. Mitchell made
the statement that nearly every butcher
in Illinois used preserving liquids on scraps
of meat which they laid aside for the manu-
facture of hamburger steak and other al
legged delicacies. The chemist first told of
a liquid known as 'freezine." Prof. Mitchell
said the stuff had been used extensively by
farmers to keep milk and butter, it being
the custom to mix it with the former in
small quantities and pour it into watts for
the preservation of butter. This freezine'
l have found to be nothing less than al
most pure formaldehyde," narrated the ex-
pert This is a chemical that acts disas-
trously on the tissue of the stomach and /
can only surmise the results when milk
diluted with it is used constantly by a
family. Where butter is placed in vats filled
with this stuff the porous commodity takes
up no small part of the liquid with re-
suit that can only be conjectured."
The professor proceeded to tell of his ex-
periments with fluid sold extensively TO
butchers for the purpose of making their
hamburger steaks last and keep UP a
healthy appearance. This liquid contains
in great percentage what is known as
suphide of soda with a complement of color
ing NATTER he continued. "It is styled an
antiseptic and in certain respects is. This
must be borne in mind, however, that.
where fermentation and waste are arrested
the digestive properties are consequently
destroyed"
DIR. Wiley, the government expert who
examined the antiseptic without going on
the stand said he identified it as prac-
tically the same chemical which was used
during his experience at medical college
to preserve cadavers and was now occas-
ionally put to service in disinfecting houses
where smallpox patients resided. The testi-
mony early in the day assumed the form
of a debate as to whether not the use
of alum in the manufacture of baking
powder is injurious to the public health.
Geo. w. Rev, chemist, stated the In
furious characteristics of alum were de-
stroyed in the process of baking.
Prof. c. n. S. Shallberg, former editor
of the Western Druggist, and Professor
Mitchell combated 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 for the majority of
jellies manufactured nowadays. according to
several witnesses. are the cores and par
ings and apples utilized after they had been
evaporated. This substance, 1t was claimed,
is mixed with glucose in large quantities,
with sugar in small quantities and then coll
ored and favored to suit the outside de-
sign on the package.