The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-05-10
ANTISBPTICS USED IN FOOD
MORE STARTLING TESTIMONY AT
 THE PURE FooD INQUIRY.
The Preserving of Products With
 "Freezineo Which Is Nothing Less Than Pure Formic AIdehyde-The
 Chemical Acts Disastrously Upon the

| E Chicago, May 9.--The senatorial pura food Investigating committee today heard some startling testimony in re- gard to the adulteration of food prod- ucts which may prolong it's session con- siderably. Prof A. S. Mitchell, chief chemist of the Wisconsin Dairy and Food commission, made the sworn statement that nearly every butcher in Illinois and some elsewhere used pre- serving liquids on scraps of meat which they laid aside for the manufacture of hamburger steak and other alleged del-% icacies. The chemist first told of his test of a liquid known as 'freezine.' ' Prof. Mitchell said that the stuff had been used extensively by farmers to keep milk and butter it being the cus- tom to mix it with the former in small quantities and pour quarts of 1t into vats for the preservation of butter.
 This "freezne" have found to bs nothing less than almost pure 'forrnic aldehyde," narrated he expert. This is chemical that acts disastrousiy up- on the tissue of the stomach and can only surmise the results when milk di- family. When butter is placed in vatsl filled with this stuff, the porous com- modity takes up no small amount of the liquid with result that can only be conjectured." The professor told of his. experiments with fluid sold extensive- ly to butchers for the purpose of lnak- ing their hamburger steaks last and keep up a healthy appearance. This liquid contains a great percentage of what is known as sulphide of soda with complement of coloring matter,'' he continued. Tt 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 consequent- ly destroyed. The use of antiseptics as preservatives has become alarmingly great. They are used as coloring and to stop the development of germs in dairy products; also in chopped meats, { bulk oysters, fish, ham and possibly corned beef.'
 Dr. Wiley, the government expert. who examined the antiseptics, without going on the stand, said he identified 1t as practically the same chemical which was used during his experience at a medical college to preserve cadavers and was now occasionally put to ser- vice in dislnfecting houses where small # pox patients resided.
 The test assumed the form of de- bate as to whether or not the use of alum. in the manufacture of baking powder was injurious to the public health. George w. Rev, chemist, stated that the injurious characters of alum were destroyed in the process Of baking. Prof. c. N. Hallberg and Prof. Mitchell combatted this theory and exn pressed the opinion that alum should not be used as an ingredient unless the public was aware of the fact by labels )n the cans.
 The common bases for the majority of < ellies manufactured nowadays, ac- oording to several witnesses, are the cores and parings of apples, utilized after they have evaporated. This suh- stance, it was claimed. is mixed with glucose in large quantities with sugar T small quantities, and then colored md favored to suit the outside design ,n the package