The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-08-02
BACTERIA IN COFFEE.
Ohio Grocer Convicted of Violating
the Pure Food Laws of
the State.

Toledo, July 30.-The jury in
Judge Meck's court in this city has
found James White, a local grocer,
guilty of selling adulterated coffee.
The prosecution was based on a
package of Arbuckles' Ariosa coffee.
The State of Ohio, through the
Pure Food Commission, prosecuted
White. The case was on trial for
nearly month and attracted nation
al attention.
The manufacturers of Ariosa coffee
conducted the defense for Grocer
White. The best attorneys in the
country were retained to defend him
but, after a short consultation, a ver-
dict of guilty was returned by the
jury. The State of Ohio considers
this big victory. Pure Food Com
missioner Blackburn has been wag-
ing a warfare on spurious food arti-
cles and the department has been
very successful.
The complaint of the State of Ohio
was that Ariosa coffee was coated
with substance which concealed de-
fects in the coffee and made it APP
pear better than it is. The State
charged that this coating or glazing
was a favorable medium for the
propagation of bacteria.
Prof. G. A. Kirchmaier, of this city,
well-known chemist, was the prin-
cipal witness for the State. He had
made scientific examinations of sam
pies of Ariosa purchased in the open
market from Grocer White. He
found that each Ariosa berry con-
tanned an average of 800 bacteria.
Mr.. Kirchmaier further testified that
other coffees he examined contained
few bacteria or none at all. He de-
clared that the glazed coffee was not
a wholesome food product.
Chemist Schmidt, of Cincinnati,
corroborated the testimony of Prof.
Kirchmaier. The State did not pre-
sent further testimony.
The defense, through the Ar
buckles, who prepare this glazed cof-
fee, secured some of the most emil
nent chemists and scientists in the
United States to give testimony in
their behalf. Prof. H. w. Wiley, of
the United States Agricultural De-
partment; Prof. Vaughn, of Ann Ar
Dor University; Profs. Belle and
Weber, of the Ohio State University,
were called to defend Ariosa. DIR.
Wiley had made a careful examina-
ton of the method of manufacturing
Ariosa. He told of the 100000
eggs used by the Arbuckles yearly
in the preparation of this glazing.
On this point in cross examination,
the States attorneys deity drew
from him the information that these
eggs might be kept in cold storage
by the Arbuckles for a year or two
at time.
The experts who heard DR.. Wiley's
testimony were pleased to be able
to "catch" so famous chemist. The
doctor at one point in his testimony
explained very clearly how it is that
the egg put into the coffee pot by
the housewife settles the coffee. He
said that the heat coagulates the
egg, and as it sinks to the bottom of
the pot it carries the fine particles
of the coffee with it, and thus clari-
fies the drink. 1t is the act of
coagulation in the coffee pot that
does the work. Later On in his cross
examination, he had to admit that
when the egg was put on Ariosa cof-
fee at the factory, it became coagu-
lated, and as egg cannot be coagu-
lated but once, that the coating on
coffee was of practically no value as
a "settler' when it reached the cof-
fee pot.
Prof. Wiley acknowledged that the
glazing might be favorable medium
for the propagation of bacteria, al
though he would not testify positive
ly either way because he was not
bacteriologist.
Prof. Vaughn, of Ann Arbor Uni
versity, also witness for the Ar
buckles, said he found bacteria on
Ariosa coffee.
Prof. Belle, another witness for
the defense, found any number of
lively bacteria on the Ariosa coffee
he examined, and he agreed that
glazed coffee surely was more
favorable medium for the propaga-
ton, of bacteria than unglazed cof-
fee.
The verdict of the jury in this case
is of national Importance because
great many other states have Pure
Food Laws like that of Ohio, and it
is natural to suppose that similar ac-
ton will be taken by other Pure
Food Commissioners to prevent the
sale of glazed coffees.
Pure Food Commissioner Black
burn says: 1.-THE State is very much
elated over it's victory against this
big corporation. We are now con-
sidering the advisability of inform
ing every grocer in the State of Ohio
that it is an infraction of the laws to
sell Ariosa, and at the same time
give warning to consumers that the
coffee is an adulterated food article"