New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-27
DANGER IN SODA AND CREAM.
Effects OF AdulteTation To Be Given in Re-
port 70 Legislature.

Pu-no-s Of LANCER lurking IN the soda fountain
and the ice cream freezer are forever dlsquieting
the souls Of those thirsty mortals who are given TO
refreshing themselves during the deg days and at
other times with those delectabIe articles Of diet.
nut nothing very definite Is known as TO the exact
extent o. these elements OF danger considerable
amount Of light viii probably be thrown on these
questions this fall by report which is TO be pre-
senteG 10 the legislature by the Department OF
Agriculture CT the adulteraIon OF food products il
Eew-Yo-k State. and which viii include among
ether things section the fruit Juices and color
ing matter used n ice cream and soda
These fruit Juices. which look so rich and tempt
lg when they are poured OsrentaCously into the
zsss AZ the soda fountain. II nang cases man
ulaGtured an ths 4sbsratory aud never were any
where IN the neighborhood CT 2 grape or a straw
berry. or any Of the fruits after which they are
named Some Of them are harmful and some are
not; but TO what extent they are !n5uriug the
ssonzchs Of the public VIII not be known until the
appearance Of the official report On the subject
Meantime however there appears 70 be no occs-
sion for any particular alarm on the part Of the
people who eat and drink ice cream and soda.
Artificial fruit juices and favorings are only
used n the cheaper grades Of ice cream and soda
said ?. J. Il. Kracke, superintendent Of the local
branch OF the State Department Of Agriculture, 10
= Tribune reporter yesterday. "and those who buy
the best need worry much about being poisoned
With ice cream there Is. Of course. always some
danger from ptomaire. but our chemists have al
nothing absolutely poisonous. though they discov-
cred some things not healthtu. particularly IN the
cheaper products"
The Beard Of Health has made some investlga-
tens into the healthfulness OF ice cream sold in
the city during the summer, and expects 70 make
more. but far nothing poisonous has been dis
covered. although the specimens analyzed were
probably the worst obtalnable, having been taken
a. random from pushcarts- Speaking Of the sub
1ct yesterday morning J. P Atkinson, Of the diVl-
siCn Of chemistry of the Board Of Health, SAID
People are much more afraid OF Ice cream than
there is any necessity for. A man may have eaten
2 whole lot Of things he ought not TO. but he mas
read fl the newspapers about pICnalne poisoning
and he doesn't ike the who sold the Ice cream,
ard II ne Is 81 sfterward he concludes that tle
Zoe cream must have been the source OF trouble.
As matter OF fact there rs much more danger n
serVtEg tee cream and soda il plates ana glasses
which are washed over and over again IN the same
water than there Is IL anything that Is put INTO
them Any injurious materials that are USED are
only put into the cheaper grades ana II people pa
reasonable price for their cream they 90 not neo
70 entertain any Sears about letting their cnlldFen
The investigations q the Department OF Agrt-
seven months under The recent amendment TO the
Agricultural law placing the enforcement OF pure
food regulations under that department very rev
Prosecutions have yeE been made under this anelu-
-nsnt. as the legislature has made no appropriation
tDr Is enforcement. and the department IS BUSY
acquiring information. but appropriation VIII be
asked for when the report oS the present investtg-
tons are presented, and then enforcement or ths
Jaw VII begin IN earnest