New-York tribune., 1903-07-22
"POIS0N SQUAD" FEEDING !
REPORT ON OCTOBER L
Chemically Prepared Foods Not De-
sirabIe, Sags Professor Wiley.
[rRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU


Washington July a.-An elaborate account OF
how the poison squad" was fed without. now
ever giving in detail the effect of the food on the
persons who ate It, given tonight by professor
H. w Wiley before the National Association Of
State Dairy and Food Commissioners. in St Paul
AS the announcements of Professor Wiley to-
night the first that have been made regard
ing the experiments. the data he left in Washing
ton of mis- speech has been read with great interest
The conclusions reached by Professor Wiley are
that chemically preserved foods not desrab BILE;
that foods be preserved for reasonable length
of time without resorting to chemicals by simple
means OF sterilization, ana that when chemicals
used a law should compel this fact to be stated
on the label of the package.
Professor Wiley showed that food experiments
had been conducted from the earliest antiquity, but
perhaps not with all the scientific accurancy which
characterized experimental work of moderI.
times. lie said in part
It was decided at the beginning that the numher
at the experimental table should be twelve. di-
having two classes was that one should be resting
While the other should be undergoing experimental
possible equally between the two. The number
under experiment was subsequently Increased to
fourteen for some special purposes. The members
of the table having been selected. each one was
pntitiy the rules and regulations governing the
hygienc table OF the Bureau of Chemistry during
food or drink than that provided. with the excep-
he essTod and n4 3si TSea a al tg psr o tb
fh % non They also agreed to continue members OF
prevented by some illness, accident or unavoid-
l have every reason to believe that the members
OF the hygienic table kept their pledges Faithfully.
to which they were devoting Themselves In the case
OF those who used tobacco, statement of the guam
and the times at which it was taken was made
qb " sm aeg SsTeeq 6 TO Gqntnue the ] use III exactly
The cooking done two gas stoves and
civil service The food d Of each each member Of The
table under observation weighed measured,
= TPQ
ing measured, and calculated to weight from the
density of the solutions. the solid foods being
weighed upon torsion balance sensitive to half
sample OF the food furnished at each meal was
taken for analysis. Immediately placed in bottle.
moisture could escape in tho necessary interval Of
ann se oeLore don W. @weignng and OF S tns
De ssea IN 9uk & such M as prepared cere1s ETC.
some extent the labor of analytical work
Al AZ account was 0Pened with each member Of the
count; Sd Each member was charged with all that
was returned in the excretons The balance repre-
sented the food consumed in the production of heat
weight remained constant.
weighed carefully on a delicate balance each day
before dinner since the determination OF the weight
OF the body and its variations under the expert
Ient are two Of the most important of the data to
ne ,oDtaIned. Eaeh member Of the table as fur
nlshed with blanks with which to keep an account
OF the foods received. the meals at which they
temperature before and after eating Of the pulse
record 0a me 3eatings & Of the sear and all other
food, one of these blanks filled up for each
meal and the daily blank filed. From these blanks
statement OF the foods consumed made for
each period Of observation.
The actual cost Of the food consumed during the
seven months has varied bat little from 81 month
Tor each individual
Foods can be preserved for a reasonable length
or time IN most circumstances without resOrting
any chemical preservative added preservative of
any kind. Simple sterilization. which can be applied
TO most foods, is the most effective and the least
objectionable OF all forms of food preservation
There may be occasions of emergency o exigency
IN winch the use of chemical preservative is rem
dered imperative The short period over which such
seriously endanger the health of the consumer
he TO eat food for brief period containing any
or the principal preserVatveS in common use.
1t may be. further, wise policy not to inaugu-
rate absolute prohibition against all preservatves
but ii certainly is true that wherever for any
food containing It should be clearly marked so that
the purchaser and the consumer may be fully in
formed regarding the matter
'Preservatves which in small quantities
When taken over long period of time produce
deleterious results should not be used IN any case
where 1t can be possibly avoided. and they should
only be permitted in those cases OF eXgency and
emergency where food cannot be properly preserved
by any other means.
National and State legislation should be brought
INTO harmony IN matters relating to preservatives
and colors. so that laws may be uniform. based on
sound hygienc and business principles free of any
tendency to prosecute annoy. and supported by
an enlightened public opinion both on the part Of
the producers and consumers of food
The complete detailed work of the first series OF
ton by October /. Then the second series of ex-
periment9l work will be begun. following the same
general method as that which has been outlined"