Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
BORIC ACID THE FIRST
BoARDFRS TO BE
GIVEN THIS ADULTERANT.
Preparatory Period Necessary to Be
Prolonged Because Average Weight
of Two Not Observed.

The voluntary boarders at the bureau OF
chemistry, Department of Agriculture. are
to be given their first taste Of adulterated
food tomorrow or next day. For the past
fourteen days the twelve men who offered
themselves for experiments in the interest
of science have been kept on diet OF
plain food by DIR. Wiley. the chief OF the
chemistry division. since they first started
in with their humanitarian work. The
course as laid out by the purveyors OF food
for the boarders provided for ten days OF
preparatory work, which would cleanse the
systems of the men used of all the I'M
purities that might have been lodged there
through constant use of adulterated food or
through other sources 1t was desired that
they should be in certain condition at ali
times, and to bring about this condition
careful observation was made by the ON
Gals in charge of the effect OF the foods
served. Temperature, pulse and weight
were observed in each of the patients, as
has been explained heretofore, and owing to
the failure of the officials in charge to secure
the average weight of two of the persons
on whom the experiment is being made the
preparatory period has been prolonged.
These two persons gained or lost weight
respectively during the first few days in
manner that could not be accounted for by
the experts in charge, and 1t was neces-
sary to take three or four days more to en-
abe an average to be reached in these two
men. 1t is believed that this will be salts
factorily determined within the next two or
three days, and then the work of serving
adulterants will be begun.
The first adulterant to be used Is one OF
the so-called preservatives, called by the
scientists boric acid, and known by every
housewife under the name of boraX. Dur
ing the next ten days the men who are
feeding at the expense of the government
viii axe after each meal a small guam
tity of borax in a capsule. DR.. Wiley thinks
that this is the better way to administer
the chemical, inaSmuch as some of its
properties might be destroyed in the cook
ing. The cooking of all the food is done
under the Direction of an expert in the
culinary art, and the boarders are watched
carefully by this cook. The cook is a sci
ertist, not a regular chef. and is as much
interested in the result of the experiment
as Dr. Wiley. The latter is an expert cook
and has made many evenings at the A.ibi
Club more enjoyable through the dishes
prepared by his hands He stated this
morning that the periods given over to the
use of certain of the alleged impurities
placed in food will be ten days. There is
will be given to each. Between each Of
these periods of ten days there win be
period of ten days during which the per-
sons being fed will be given only pure
foods. Preparations are being made to pre-
pare a. great Christmas dinner for the SUBJ
jects of the experiment. 1t will consist OF
the usual turkey and accessories, and, &C.
coruing to the present program, will in
clude dose of boric acid, or borax The
patients themselves are all cheerful and
seem to feel that they are being taken care
of in better manner than most of their
boarding houses could do before their work
in the interest of science began.