The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-28
Loads a01 NORTH arq0Hna Daily Pgper@ amid Circulation

proper food which does not feed the
brain, but makes only fat and muscle,
and then they wonder why their mental
faculties are sluggish. others may have
some constitutional disease or weakness
and ignorantly devour from day to day
the food that aggrayates it instead of
adopting diet that will assist nature
in restoring impaired functions and in
building up wasted tissues.
The above extracts bring to mind some
of the "doings" about our city market.
It is a reasonably clean market. and has
a competent inspector who rigidly en-
forces the ordinances pertaining to spoil
ed meat, the sale of animals dying from
one cause or another, (Which are occa-
sionally brought to the city, also en-
forces the common rules of cleanliness,
which should obtain in all places where
food is exposed for sale, Nothing, there
fore, which may be said in this article
need be attributed to the inspector at
the market, nor in any way construed
into a criticism of him, as he is gem
orally commended as competent and
faithful in the discharge of his duties.
However, there are practices there
which should not be tolerated, and they
can. in part, be dealt with by the city
king authorities. Their attention
is, therefore, most politely called to some
of the practices noticed by the writer
The practice is common in warm
weather land as winter is now on the
necessity for it, from the standpoint Of
the butcher is greatly reduced) to freely
treat fresh meats of all kinds (and
sausage gets a double dose) with GER
tain preserving powders as such, and
under trade names as "FroZe En-" etc.
Finding boxes of these powders in the
market, and observing the meat sellers
sitting them generously on the fresh
meats, enquiry was made as to the why
OF it. There was no hesitation in eX-
planning that they were to preserve the
meats, to prevent the exposed out sur
| faces from drying hard and to keep it
| looking fresh and red; it also gives to
sausage the same fresh red look. Com
plant was made by the writer of the
''horrid" flavor of the western meats
| from the great packing houses This re-
ply came: "They are all treated look
| here, see how this artery has been split;
the preserving or 'embalming' fluid has
| been forced into the arteries and veins
| by pump, and the outside treated with
the powder That was reason enough
| for the absence Of the natural flavor
and fully explained the uncertain and
discouraging palatal sensations encount-
cred in eating these western meats. The
! taste is unmistakable to the discernin
palate, and when encountered brings with
| its recognition food of thought I'M
/ speaka bles--7vsz-----Fpsv
| Finding that the Preserving powders
and 'Froze En- were in common use IN
| the city market a sample of each was
taken for the State chemist, who re-
ports the following analyses ''Preserv-
/ ing powder is composed Of sodium
chloride (salt) and Boric acid ian
anticeptic obtained by action of sulphuric
acid on borax. Severe and oven fatal
cases of poisoning have been reported
! from it, 'FroIe En-" is composed of
Sodium hyposulphite (sulphurous acid, a
powerful poison, sodium chloride (salt)
and boric acid Gas above) This latter
is strong and more Objectionable than
the plain preserving powder, but both
are bad for the stomach of man and their
use should be forbidden.
But the practice has become so com
mon that our friends, the oystermen
and the fishermen load their products
Win IneSe pFeSeFVdJlNe5. FOF long
time l was perplexed to know what had
become of the exquisite flavor of the
oyster; it was gone and l began to feel
regret that so early in life enc must
lose the relish for gastronomc delihts.
But happily l found, by visit to the
fish and oyster packing house on the
coast, that the fault was not mine; that
it all came out of q half barrel of pre-
serving powder" kept in corner for
dosing" shueked oysters and boxes of
fish destined for the interior
The butchers and vendors of fish and
oysters say: so. you must do it, or the
goods will spoil!" What a pity! Twenty
wears ago they did not spoil. These are
degenerate times. and for the sake OF
the health of the people, the Congress
of the United States, the Legislatures OF
the States, and the municipal authorities
should see to it that all food adultera-
ton, all unhealthful preservatives, and
all additions Of foreign matter either to
| increase weight, bulk or to color food
products, should be most rigidly stamped
out. r. K. BRUNER.