The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-11-17

in the past were based upou the fear q
a metallic poisoning trom the use of tn
: tin can. Il has bsen shown In the col
4 umns Of The Trade. very many year
' ago. that this claim had no foundation
E and could have none. for even pure lea,
shavinSs were no, affected hy the veE
etable acids unless exposed at the sam,
: Time to the action OF the air. ana tht
: question Of the period OF immersion hal
) nothiaE to do with the effects
But the manufacturer OF tin cans for
herreiieally sealed foods has KEEP, uaos
in improvements with the advance in
the handling OF the goods IN the process
room. and there are few things in the
world in the form q food vessels tha,
are cleanlier or less harmful than the
usual tin can that IS used BY reputable
packers today.
First Of all it is admitted that Amer
ican tin plates are thicker coated than
much OF those We used nom Europe.
and tin is a great resistant OF vegetable
acids; in the second place. the tin cans
are male with lock joints and sans TO
give them strength with the least
amount Of solder. So the quantity OF
solder now used in making a can Is
hardly one-sixth CT what it was twenty
years ago. And this solder is in nearly
sil cases soaked into the Joints from the
outside.
Public opinion and the advantage OF
business honesty towards the consumer
have accomplished in America what the
French compelled by law. and IL IS the
fault Of an Junwise packer today If he
uses cans in which the solder comes in
contact with the goods.
Let 1t not be forgotten either what we
have said. that If the solder did come
in contact with the vegetable acid there
would be no evil action therefrom. ex-
cept IL cases where the can has a leak
which viii permit the entry Of air. And /
this condition always makes itself ev-
ident in the destruction and loss Of the
goods.
The one great thing the public should
Be taught is to never leave goods in /
an open can; and if ever any sickness (
occurred from canned goods IT has been
from such ignorant action. But the pub
lie can and should be taught more than
this. Glass and glazed pottery are Just
as dangerous and equally objectionable
as is an open can which has soldered
joints. But the public has its prsiu-
dice. as much favorable to glass as it is
unfavorable to tin cans. and it is time
this prejudice was dlspelled.
Very few glass Jars are made nova
days into which lead or anthony does
not enter. and vegetable acids viii cut
more poison out Of a glass jar made OF
such composition in twelve hours than
It would cut out Of a can In a week
The same is true Of glazed pottery
glazed bowls, Dipkins and stewlng
dishes-are all covered with a fux that
contains very poisonous minerals
which are easily affected by vegetable
acids. And probably more lead pois-
oning is caused by the use Of these
articles than by anything else.
1t would be well if the packers gave
some attention to this matter and took
occasion to call the attention Of the
public to the injustice that is being
done canned goods. that the blame
may lay elsewhere. One Of the prin-
cipal reasons that this prejudice has
aourished is that it is fostersd by the
desire Of the daily papers to pose as
the friend and guardian Of the people;
and with them a chance to scare head
an item with Death in the Cam has
been irresistible.
The antidote for this is for reputable
packers to take the trouble to inform
reporters Of their local dallies Of such
facts as We have here recited; and it
VIII be found that the daily press in
every city, large and small. win serve
the public in the matter Of informa-
ion as to health foods with Just az .
much avidity in one direction as they
VII in another; though we do not be-
ieve the average editor is preiudiced
lgainst canned goods. Herein lies a
;hance for the packer to increase the
l