Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-27
WILEY'S FOOD TESTS
Statement Of Experiments at
Department Of Agriculture.
Explanation of How The Trials
Were lnnructeJ.
Period Covered in EXP eri,nenss Cis-
cussed Cceore Ds.irynen.

statement * the management of the
food test that were conducted under
the direction of the Secretary OF Agri-
culture during the past winter ana
spriig was made at st. Paul, Mimi, by
Or. Harvey w. Wiley, chief of the
division of chemistry, during a meeting
or the National Associa ton of State
Dairy and Food Commissioners, nov in
session at that place. DR.. Wiley smoke
at great length and endeavored to give
his hearers most exhaustive state
snent OF the manner in which the tests
were conducted and Just what if il ex-
pected they will show. This is the first
time that any authoritative statement
regarding the food tests has been made,
either by DIR. Wiley or any other official
OF the Department Of Agriculture, and
as such will be OF more than usual in
terest to persons in Washington who
nave followed the course of the tests
ana who hive observed, to any great
extent TIE twelve young mc1 who
voluntarily submitted themselves to
the Department as subjects for the ex-
per- DIR. Wiley said in part:
1T is not possible at this time to
give conclusions relating to the -cx-
detrimental work, because the analyti-
cal data, immense in quantity, have not
Yet been tabulated, averaged and d.
:te3ted. 1t would be unwise to put
forth any preliminary conclusions IN
til all the data referred to are in shape
for careful study and comparison.
The primary object kept in view in the
experiments which we are conducting
is to determine by strictly scientific
means the effect Of prese-vatives, color
ing matters and other substances add
ed to foods, upon the health Of the con-
sumner and upon digestion. We find in
literature the most varied opinions of
experts, so-called, concerning these
matters. Practically every substance
which has been used in foods for any
purpose, aside from the foods them
selves, has been the object of con-
demnation on the one hand and of
praise on the other. Salicyclic acid,
formaldehyde, borax, sulphurous acid
and benzoic acid. all have their
apostles who declare their use IN pre-
:serVative quantities not only harmless,
but positively beneficial. On the other
hand, We find another set of experts
which unfortunately condemns the
use of any preventative or coloring
matter whatever. We must be allowed
to say that the burden Of proof should
, fall upon the advocate Of personalities
and coloring matters. 1t is not
claimed that these are substances nat
ural to food and their addition must
therefore be positively justified.
Negative results are conlemnatory. If
these bodies do no good they have no
reason of existence; if they are in
furious they should surely be prohibit
cd: if they are beneficial under certain
conditions. those conditions should be
ascertaned and definitely fixed.
I'm arranging for the experiments in
carrying them out, and in discussing
The data an earnest effort has been
made to put aside every theory or per-
sonal impression or prejudice con-
nectad with the sbuject How many
times have been asked; Are the ex-
pcrimcnts proving what you expected
them to- l can always answer this
question afIirmltively because I had
put asidc, before beginning the expert
mcnts. all expectations. Our object
has solely bacn to ascertain the facts,
to establish them if possible beyond
scientific and reasoHble manner. and
ut the end to draw such conclusions as
Judgment. unnnucnceI by prejudice,
would approve. Some Of the above
purposes. it is hoped. will be fully ac-
compiished because we propose to set
forth in detail the manner in which the
experiments werc conducted, 10 record
all the facts observed just as they &C.
Cured. to tabulate the work in the
most scientific manner possible. ana
thus present to competent experts
basis for conclusions. When all this Is
done it is evident that different con-
illusions may be derived from the
promises by different persons. WHAT
ever our conclusions may be. therefore
we do not claim for them any siecial
virtue, but we do hope 50 to establish
the facts on which they are based that
the necessity for Il repetition OF the
work may be rcleCatcd to the remote
future. The enormous alnount of Wotk
connected with such experiments ana
The great expense which necessarily at
tends them render it extremely ad-
visable that the work should be thor
oughly done, with every possible re
gard for accuracy, with elimination as
far as possible of all sources of disturb
ance and error and with the establish
ment on as firm as basis as possible OF
the recorded observations.
IAN outline of the method of making
the experiments at this time Will be
useful in explaining the details of the
work. so that when the full data are
published those who care to look into
the matter can understand exactly
how they were obtained. First of all.
it is evident that no more theoriZlng on
the chemical and physical properties OF
preservatives and coloring matters
can be of much value in work of this
kind. 1t is further evident that phaf-
macological experiments made upon
other animals than man, valuable as
they are. will not lead to absolutely
definite results. 1t is well known that
the digestive organs of other animaiS
are different from those of man; that
the processes of assimilation vary, ana
that what might be innocuous to such
an animal might in other circum-
stances prove harmful to man. ana
vice versa. 1t was, therefore, conclud-
ed that the experiments to he of full