El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-13

bill of fare IS almost worthy Oh cauon
ization. From this standpoint we
must bow reverentially when tne names
Saddington and Appert are mentioned,
for to these two men belongs the glory
OF at least perfectIng the processes OF
preserving food. To them we are in
debted, therefore, for spring vegetables
in January, tropical fruits within the
Arctic circle, fresh fish in the heart OF
che desert, etc. The epicure owes to
them luxuries that kings OF old coulo
not possess: the sailor must to ank them
for emancipation from characteristic
diseases: the poor man, for the cheap
ening of all classes of food: the bur
rled housewife, that she is enabled at
last to defy the unexpected visitor, the
nue that won't "draw," and the bac-
terium that lietb in wait. some peo-
pie, it Is true, will depreciate the hum
BILE vehicle to which they owe so
much. but let them pause and consider
the state of things should the tin can
and its content, be suddenly blotted
out from our daily lives.
But while the tin can Is q mighty
bulwark of civilization and has fur
nished noble wall against the bac-
tsrial hosts that are always threatening
our food su pply, it Is necessary to tenn,
per our gratitude with q little rational
investigation as to the possible dangers
attending it's use.
Although 1t is true that Mr.. Sad
dington has the right to pose as the IA
ther of the tin can, 1t is only fair to
state that his process OF preserving
food was the same that had been In use
in the household years before the pr1n-
ciple of division of labor caused this
particular branch of housekeeping to
be relegated to the factory instead OF
the kitchen. The canning factory of
today is simply an extensive co-opera-
tive cooking institution, and the can
ner, like all cooks, needs watching. II
a housekeeper of today should GO Into
her kitchen and find her cook putting
chuncks of blue vitrol into the peas
simmering on the range, 1t is doubtful
If even the proverbi Al fear OF being
without 9 girl'' would preserve the
dsmsel her position. And yet it is an
established fact that the addition OF
copper sulphate (blue vitroD to green
. fruits and vegetables is one OF the prin-
ciples of the canning industry. II Is
no secret method. The Gamers inner
tied it from our grandmothers along
with the preserving process, and the
question has been argued and legis-
lated upon in every nation of Europe
for the last one hundred and fifty
years. An exhaustive literature has
accumulated on the subject. and yet
the question seems as unsettled as In
.he beginning.
Since 1853 Sweden has had law
prohibiting the use of copper vessels
for the preparation of substances in
30 well pleased with it as to erect q
statue to the man who secured it's adop-
ton. German laws are suoh at present
as to prohibit the use of copper for the
purpose of greening vegetables, but
this places the manufacturers at a dis
advantage in their competition with
France, and recently earnest efforts
have been made to secure more liberal
euactments. Italy allows the addition
of 100 parts per million of copper sui
phate for the greening of preserves.
Belgium discussed the subject, and de-
cided, since the copper does no good
and NAV sometimes do harm, it is not
well to allow it's use.
The method of canning green vege-
tables at present in use in France is,
briefly, as follows: To 100 liters of
boiling water are added As grams of
copper sulphste. Into this the vege-
tables are thrown and left for an IN
certain period. They are then removed
and washed in clear water which, how
ever, does not take out the copper),
canned, sealed, and their next appear
ance in public Is very likely on some
American dinner table. Another in
IL
bles in copper kettle. through which
an electric current is passing. Of
course the current dissolves off large
quantities of the metal. and the vegeta-
bles are stained by it q most appetizing
green.
From 1853 to 1889 law prohibiting
these processes was on the statute |
books of France, and although it was
seldom enforced, it exercised some |
int hat q
no great partiality for it
even as a dead latter, is evident from |
history which undated during the |
thirty-six years of its continuance. As
it involves every possible argument for |
and against the custom, it will be |
briefly reviewed here. In private ar
ficle and public protest, the Gamers |
defended their process, called in French |
''reverdissage, and endeavored to |
secure the repeal of the prohibitive
law. Against them appeared body |
of scientific meo known officially as the |
Comite CONSULATE d 'hvgien publique,
Or National Board of health. Pasteur |
was one of the first of this body to /
make analyses of the foods prepared |
with copper and to report against the |
repeal of the law. However. be sug-
Gamers to follow their established !
method if they wanted to, only requir- |
ing them to stamp on the labels of
th cir cans the fact that the contents |
were eoloredswith copper.
The Gamers would not hear of such q
the administration force
q business man to reveal the secrets of
his trade2 1t would ruin them; no.
body would buy goods so labeled"
They were proba bly, right as to the
d nal statement, though suicide clubs
might esteem such commodities as at
least helpful. The subject rested
q while-the law and the use of copper
process continuing to co-exist-snd