The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-05
!. ,,A 'l!]l, | Rail- ! FOODS
Prepared in Foreign Countries and
Sold Here.
PROHIBITED BY LAW At HOME,

But the Law Does Not Prevent Ger
mans ana French From Sending the
Goods Here-Dr. Wiley Declares Food
Containing PreservativssUnilt to Eat
Chicago, My B.-One of tho most
Smportant objects sought by the sena-
torial pure food investigating COM
mittee at its second session here yes
terday was the formulation of legisla-
tion not solely for the protection Of
the public against adultsrated foods
manufactured In this country, but also
these which are imported. The first
witness called was Giles Lewis,
druggist of this city, who stated that
while other countries had laws which
prevented the selling Of adulterated
goods In their own countries NO pro-
visions were made against exporting
them to foreign countries. He said
the United States received articles Of
food made In Germany and France
that would not Be used In the country
where they were made, because Of the
preservatives used. Special mention
WAS made by him Of the privileges of
German manufacturers who can sell
articles of food without hindrance to
the United States which cannot be sold
IN Germany.
Mr.. Lewis advocated the passage Of
q national pure food law and the ap-
pointmeat Of q permanent commits
sion, the duty Of which would be to
prevent the marketing Of any article
OF food or drink, domestic or i'm
ported. that was nlsrepressnted. The
limit Of adulteration, he declared,
should be governed by the commits
sion. and the committee. he suggested,
should analyGs articles and certify to.
their purity BY government stamp.
Mr.. Wiley save further Information
70 the committee regarding the articles
sold tn this country which, were adult
terated. Among prRctices that are
fraudulent, yet not Injurious to the
health, he mentioned the sale Of Ash
OF cheap variety ana grade for mora
expensive kinds, especially fish packed
In oil. 1t also 10 common custom,
DR.. Wiley said. fer dealers to stamp
packages with foreign stamps, and
thus deceive the public into believing
1t was buying imported goods. The
sale Of turtles in restaurants for ter
rapin was also & common means Of
defraudins the public. Famous wines
and other drinks of foreign countries
are on sale in American markets that
never even saw the color of the
ocean,"
The witness said that authorizations
of food and drink which are injurious
to tie public health could be classed
In two groups-colorins and pressrv-
ing. The methods of coloring green
vegetables were spoken Of in detail.
The matter which is used mainly in
restoring the natural color Of green
peas, the witness declared, sometimes
was salts Of zinc and sometimes salts
Of copper, either Of which is poisonous,
and the use Of which should not be
permitted. Probably the most COM
mon chemical used as a preservative,
according to DR.. Wiley, is salicyclic
acid, which is made to a great ex-
lent from carbolic acid. 1t should not
be permitted. he stated, because it is
very bad for the health, especially to
those who have weak stomachs. He
ended his testimony regarding the SUBJ
ject by saying that no food which was
offered for sale which contained pre-
Iervatives was fit to eat.