The Minneapolis journal., 1901-12-18
POISONOUS FOODS

Dr. R. o. Beard contributes a strong
article to the Northwestern Lancet on
Food Adulteration and Food Laws" in
work Of the state dairy and food depart
ment and why it should command the sup
port of all citizens who wish to protect
their health, and Of all doctors. The doc
tor makes the point that not all adultera-
tions or substitutions are injurious to
perior in this respect to the genuine arti-
cles. While the pure food laws are aimed
at all authorizations and substitutions, the
citizen desirous of protecting his health
against a secret and insidious foe is chiefly
interested in preventing the use of that
which is destructive or hurtfuI to the it's
sues and functions Of the body
Under this class comes the prevalent
practice Of preserving foodstuffs with
preservatives of a toxic character,
among them being borax, boric acid,
sulphurous acid, salicylic acid and
formaIdehyde. In considering these
preservatives, DR.. Beard takes pre-
cisely the same ground that this paper
did when cases were being tried in the
municipal court of butchers who had sold
meats treated with boric and sulphuric acid.
1t was then declared that these preserva-
tives were used not to prevent putrefaction
but to conceal its presence, and that the
person who bought such meat was doubly
injured: First, because he was sold bad
meat under the guise of good-that is to
say, rotten instead Of fresh; second, be-
cause the agent of deception was injurious
to health. Says Dr.. Beard:
These ''n~eservatives" modify or neutralize
the malodorous products of putrefactiOn and
SO cover the presence and the results of pto-
maine producing bacteria. They are not ger
micides in any form or measure in which
they are applied to or admixed with food ma
terials They do not even limit bacterial
growth. They simply conceal the conse-
quences of bacterial activity. They are often
detrimental to the foodstuffs. They are fre-
Quently introduced to the alimentary canal in
sufficient quantity to impair digestion, to
prejudice food values and to disorder nutri-
ton
Continuing, the doctor ridicules doctors
who are willing to risk their professional
reputation by testifying in behalf Of these
poisonous preservatives. They are es-
pecially injurious to the digestive func-
tions because they are cumulative, being
thrown off from the system very slowly
They are extensively used in milk butter
| cheese and meats, and the consumption Of
borax for these purposes is enormous.
If manufacturers will be so, un-
scrupulous, so disregardful Of the welfare
of their patrons, so they get their money
the people must be on their guard at al
times. But each household can not main
tain a testing laboratory. The state must
do that work for all households. That is
the most important function of the state
dairy and food department. 1t is as diff
cult as it is important Powerful inter
! ests and numerous agencies are proftine
| by evading and violating the laws, and
| to oppose them the commissioner has only
few assistants and a limited appropria-
tion. He should be given more money
and more assistants, and the laws under
which he operates should be jealousy
watched and carefully amended in re-
| sponse to his experience.