Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-15
FREE TABLE TO Be SET
Govern& lent Scientists Will
Bzpe1 ment With Foods.
THEPLANS OFDR. WILEY
WILL TEST THE PROPERTIES OF
DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
Their Effect on Human Digestion and
Health to Be Noted by Careful OBJ
servers-An Interesting Inquiry.

foreign substances added to food products
in the nature of coloring matter or pre-
sentative substances are detrimental to the
health of man, are to be begun at the
United States bureau of animal industry
under the immediate supervision of Dr. w.
Fl. Wiley. chief of that bureau, next Oc-
tober
DR.. Wiley leaves the United States TO-DAY
for an extended European trip of six weeks
During his absence the civil service COM
mission will hold examinations and prepare
list of eligibles from whom he Will select
on his return a force of expert physio-
logical chemists to aid in the series of SCI
entifc investigations which are scheduled
to take place. in accordance with the wish
Of Congress expressed in a $4,000 appro-
priation for this work.
This is the first appropriation ever mace
by the government for a systematic anu
scientific investigation of the properties OF
the manufactured and preserved roods,
which form So large part OF the menu OF
the American table. and the results TO De
obtained from the Investigations are looked
forward to with interest by the law maker,
the manufacturer and the consumer.
The Proposed Gree Feed"
rumor that DR.. Wiley was to furnish
free board to number of ablebodled men
for the purpose of ascertainng the effect
on them. electrified the hobo element TO-
day. and the morning hour of the doctor
was consumed in telling walking dele
gates from the work house and other elee.
mosynary institutions, that the free 1eeo
would not begin until october. 1t Is ex-
tremely doubtful, however: IL any or the
Weary Willie" element will be considered
as good subjects by Dr. Wiley. he says
that his experiments along tn line VIII
doubtless be made on college students. He
will endeavor to get permission to estab-
lish a training table" at some one of the
nearby educational institutions. Those VINO
eat at this table will be required to give
their word that they will partake or no
other food but that furnished at the table.
The first ten days or will then be de-
voted to feeding the subjects good, health
full quantity of the ordinary foods with no
object in view but to get them in a perfect
~ normal condition Then the effect of
certain chemical-borax, for instance-w1ll
be tried. After the effect of this has been
noted. another preservative chemical in
common use will be taken up, then a color
ing substance. etc, until the gamut of COL
or and preservative has been run, and the
bureau has obtained data enough on which
to base correct conclusions.
An Important Step.
In discussing the general subject with
Star reporter just before his departure this
afternoon, Dir. Wiley said:
I'VE regard the fact that Congress has
given the DuEedu IulluS 10 STUDY the elect
on the consumer of preservative and color
ing matter and other substances added to
foods an extremely important step III
advance, especially because of the various
conflicting views which are held by spe-
cialists in these matters
THE practice of adding preservatives to
certain kinds Of foods. especially such as
catsups. and other substances of a condi
mental nature, Is quite prevalent. Even to
certain staple articles of foods such as pre-
afoh] Nd
are often added, while with preserved meats
the custom Is universal. Preserved meats
always have salt added a preservative
and sometimes sugar, and quite commonly
borax. Wood smoke Is also a common pre-
sentative of meats.
ITO know whether these substances are
injurious or not Is of the highest conse-
quence. not only from the economic point of
view In the manufacture of these products,
but also from the hygienic point of view
their exact effect upon the consumer-is
most important.
Heretofore. unfortunately, most Of the
investigation which has been undertaken
in this direction has been at the instance
of the manufacturer or other Interested
parties so that the natural bias peculiar
to the human mind has had to be taken into
consideration in accepting the result.
Seeking Only the Truth.
'It is hoped that in the Investigations I'M
dertaken by the Department Of Agriculture
there may be no such bias in favor Of or
against any preservative or any manufac-
turer or any particular line of goods. The
sole object to be attained is truth, and
this. it is hoped, will be reached in such
thorough manner as to carry the weight
which Is essential to do good.
1.-The best skill which physiological chem
istry can supply will be brought to bear
upon these Investigations, and 1t is the in
tention to conduct the experiments on the
human being as well as on animals. 1t is
entirely possible to study the effects of
these products upon misunderstanding Is,
the changes in the food and living tissues
without any injury whatever to the health
of the subject. At the same time the ex-
periments can be pushed far enough to
definitely determine whether any sub
stances added to food tends to influence
the health of these tissues of the body
IAN illustration of what it is hoped to ac-
complish may be seen In the case of the
preventative already mentioned-borax-
which has become to a certain extent an
international question Borax or boric acid
ia well known to be a most excellent pre-
servative, especially for meats and dairy
products A small quantity of borax will
act as a preventative just well as a
large quantity Of salt. Even admitting
in considerable quantities does derange the
physiological functions. experiments made
show that 1t does not do so to such an ex-
tent as does the larger quantity Of salt
which must be used as it's substitute In
the case of meats. If preservatives really
be Injurious, the injury Is a necessary evil,
unless the meats are preserved solely by
the canning process or sterilization by heat
This method1in such instances as hams and
breakfast bacon would practically destroy
the qualities Of those products which are
most desired. 10
..The whole subject thus becomes an in
teresting one2 no difference what the point
os view may bed And the magnitude of
the study MAY well be imagined when the
great number of preservatives, coloring
matter and other substances added to foods
is taken into consideration.
Through the aiberality Of Congress.
chemistry has for the first time been en-
abled to take; up the study of this subject
in a thorough and systematic manner, and
will be enabled to- supplement the investi-
ga lions which have heretofore been made
upon the subject Of food aduheratfon The
results which wifi finally be obtained will be
useful to our lawmakers, who will be able
to form the Statutes so as to secure the
necessary precautions in the preservation
of foods. while as'the same time they Will
exclude positively injurious substances.
The Proposed Experiments.
1.-The experiments win consist Of observing