The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-27
FOrmaldehyde PreservatiVe Is
Being Used in Topeka.
Nearly All Samples Tested
Show It's Presence.
USE is DANGEROUS.
In Some Places People Have
Been Made Sick.
Chemist C. E. Gray Discusses
the Effect on Consumers.

OAAO AANOb va OOnD %
That the use of milk preservatives is
common among Topeka dairymen and
milk distributors is indicated by tests
of several samples, taken at random,
made by c. E. Gray assistant chemist
for the dairy division of the United
States department of agriculture. The
tests were made today in a local labo-
ratory. One sample of country milk
was the only one tested which showed
no trace of artificial preservative treat
ment.
Topeka is undoubtedly consuming her
full share of embalming fluid and borax
poison. In most of the tests the results
were so Immediately and noticeabIy ap-
parent as to show that preservatives
had been administered in superfiuous
and perhaps dangerous amounts. That
the laws of Kansas and the city Ordi-
nances take no cognizance of the use
of preservatives by milkmen is I'M
doubtedly accountable for their SEEM
ing popularity.
All references to the use of adulter-
ants found in either place are couched
In such obscure and inoffensive terms
as to make neither statute nor city or
dinance very formidable to the milk
man who wants to introduce unnatural
AccpAHB Qualities INTO MS wares. Where
the state laws of Kansas apparently
pay no attention to this variety of
doctoring,' the laws of many other
states are particularly strict upon the
subject. The danger of a moderate
quantity OF milk preservative agent is
not apparently noticeable.
II IS in the rather infrequent Instances
when an overdose of preventive has
been administered that the consumer is
made Ill. In an instance of this sort in
Colorado SnrinOS a fpy Gil a
large number of people were poisoned
from eating ice cream embalmed with
formaldehyde, the substance which
seems to be most commonly used in
preserving milk in Topeka
c. Z. Gray, assistant chemist of the
dairy division of the United States de-
partment of agriculture, said today:
The action of the fOrmaldehyde is to
preserve and render insoluble the very
portions of the milk which it is desir-
able should be digested and takes away
practically that much of its nutritive
elements. Where the formaldehyde is
present in excessive quantities it exerts
Its influence upon the system of the per-
son using the milk. Formaldehyde is
the active agent in embalming fluid.
mat milk SourS quickly is pretty sure
sign that it is free from this form of
adulteration. Under ordinary circum-
stances milk should remain sweet nat
urally, long enough for the wants of
consumers, and the use of pPeservatives
In 1t is inexcusable."
In bulletin 65, OF the bureau of chem
tstry of the department of agriculture,
the test for formaldehyde is prescribed
as follows; Take equal parts of milk
and sulphuric acid, the latter contain
ing a small quantity of iron chloride and
place them together without mixing If
the milk is pure it will gradually as
sumo a reddish brown color. If for
maldehyde is present the milk will turn
TO a distinct purple. The test for boric
acid or other boron compounds is less
simple. Mix equal quantities of milk
and hydrochloric acid. In the mixture
wet strip of turmeric paper. After dry
ing the paper a line of reddish color will
indicate the presence of the preservative
This may be further tested by exposing
the paper to ammonia when a blue green
shade will result.
A specimen of dairy milk was expos
ed to both tests with the result that the
reddish color noted in the second was
observable. Milk from a dairy on a
fashionable street showed the purple
for the first test. A sample of Heinz's
Ice cream responded to neither thst
while sample of Scott's ice cream
showed to be equally free from either
of the preservatives mentioned. Milk
from dairy on the west side and from
station on Tenth avenue showed the
purple of the formaldehyde test as
did also a sample of milk from another
down town station. The only sample
Of milk that gave no response to tests
was one taken from a country milk
wagon.
After making the above tests Prof.
Gray said:
Most of these tests Indicate that the
personalities have been used in I'M
necessarily large quantities. They are
put in without much judgment as to
the required amount. In none of them,
however. is the preservative used to an
extent likely to make the person using
It I'll but its presence can not be doubt
ed under these tests
In speaking of the most feasible
means of protecting milk consumers
against the use of embalming fluid or
borax in milk, ]. H. Curran, who has
interested himself IN the tests, said:
In Kansas City there is an organiza-
ton called the Milk Consumers League,
the purpose of which is to detect and
make public the use of preservatives or
other adulterants by milk retailers
Tests of milk samples are made daily.
In the published results of the tests
only the names of those milkmen whose
milk is pure is given. The inference,
OF course, is that the milk furnished bv
other dealers is not. In my opinion the
establishment of such an organization
IN Topeka would be very practicable
we made tests of six North topeka
mix distributors samples and found
-boric acid in every one of them"
IL IS probable that with the estab-
nshment of the p2steurizing station at
the corner of Fourth and Tackson
streets, the building for which is now
unoer construction, that Topeka's COM
plant about the use of aduIterants in
milk VIII cease. Almost all of the milk
men IN town are already interested in
the project. In the pasteurization pro-