New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-15
now be had by mail order or at the counting
room Of The Tribune.
PURE FOOD.

question Of pure food Is one that is justly
corning 70 attract more and more attention. The
report Of the Court Of Inquiry into the Army
becf that the food sent to the soldiers was the
same as the beef packers sell TO the people leads
the people to ask what they are getting. -Test-
monv of the strongest character showed that
the canned goods sent to the troops were unfit
for food. Civilians. with better facilities for
making such goods palatable, eating them in
small quantities in connection with other food
and with systems not weakened by hardship OF
disease may suffer no apparent i'll effects; never
theless when tho soldiers in great numbers tell
what sort Of stuff they found this beef that the
Court says Is the beef Of commerce. 1t Is time to
ask about the character of the commercial
supply.
The need of such inquiry is emphasized by the
results being obtained by the Senatorial Pure
Food Investigating Committee in Chicago Fro
fessor Mitchell of the Wisconsin Dairy and
Food Commission. told the other day how wide
ly preservative fluids were used by butchers
especially TO keep chopped meats. This testi-
mony IS exactly in accord with the conclusion
which anybody who studies the packers trade
Journals must reach. The packers say they 90
not use these preparations, and yet we ma them
advertised and sold In large quantities. Ihey
declare they are harmless with all the zeal OF
habltual devotees. and yet II accused OF using
them violently protest that they know them
not. Nor is the use Of preseryatives confined 10
meats. The Agricultural Department has MIN
erto published reports showing the scandalous
extent TO which they are employed In the can
ming Of fruits and vegetables, to save expense
and TO cover up the defects OF careless and I'M
perfect canning by legitimate processes. There
NAV be some canned fruits and vegetables on
the market which do not contain chemical pre-
servatives sulphurous. sallcylic or borlc acids
but It is impossible at present for anybody to
know that he is getting pure food and tests
show large proportion of doctored cans. Then.
too. food is adulterat ted by substitution Of cheap
for expensive materials. Apple cores are the
basis for fruit jellles and coloring matter often
poisonous. enters into an astonishing number of
articles.
OF course. there is nothing really new in this
Chemists have frequently called attention 10
the almost universal adulteration of our food
products. But it is time that we had remedy
Here is a case where the Government may
properly be paternal. The individual Is power
less TO protect himself. He cannot analyze
every can of food he buys. or trace II TO the can
merry and know that It is honestly prepared Inc
Government must step in and compel manufact-
urers 10 furnish good and pure articles Ger
tainly il should compel them 10 label their
goods with the plain statement of the use OF
chemicals when they are used. If. as some or
the Gamers say. these drugs are harmless well
and good Let those who think so use them.
No other person should be defrauded into eating
them against his will. We already have laws
on this subject, but they are not adequately en-
forced or else do not strike the root of the evil.
II IS high time for some drastic measures with
severe penalties attached