Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-06-23
FOOD OOnu1ss[1oN B s

FOOD COMMISSION BULLETIN.
Comparatively few people are aware
Of tho TACT that the dairy and food de-
partmont has jurisdiction over the
paints and linsssd oil sold In rhis
state. 8. ~ 5E@ wy E'sF S,s.ssaz &S
The law provides "a. folloWa: =.
Every person, firm or corporation,
who ma nu1actures for sale OF exposes
for sale, or sells within this state any
tended for use az such. branded. la
strictly pure" which contains any
INGREDIENTS other than carbonate Of
lead and pure linseed oil, and every
manufactures for sale or exposes for
sale or sells within this state, any
mixed paint or compound intended for
use as such, branded, labelled. or
marked as 'pure.' or 'strictiy
pure" which contains any in9redi-
ents other than pure linseed oil, pure
carbonate of lead, oxide of zinc, tur.
pentine. japan dryer, and pure colors,
shall be deemed guilty of q mis-
demeanor and upon conviction thereof
shall for each ofense be punished by
q fine of not less than twenty-five and
not more than one hundred dollars
and costs. or by imprisonment in the
county eu jail not exceeding sixty
Under this law any thing in the
white lead paint or mixed paint line
which does not bear the label "pure"
or ''strictly pure' can be manufac"
tured out of any Ingredients, merI-
torious or otherwise. and the law Is
imperative. With food articles if a
product is termed ''honey,'' lard, :"
''sorghum, ETC. it must be absolutely
pure in order to be sold under q single
name. If the arcticle is not pure it
must be labelled showing It's true COM
position. It does not have to be la.
belled ''pure'' or ''strictly pure in
order for the purchaser to understand
that it is the real article. The incon.
eistency of the law ia most apparent
To make matters decidedly worse
there is another section of this law
which is as follows:
"Provided, that any such person,
firm or corporation who shall manu-.
facture for sale. OF expose for sale. or
sell within this state any white lead,
paint or mixed paint marked az
''pure" or ''striotlly pure'' and con-
tanning Ingredients other than as
above enumerated, shall not be
deemed guilty Of q violation of the
provisions Of this act, in case the
same be properly labeled, showing the
quantity or amount OF each and every
Ingredient used therein and not spe.
Cited above. and the name and resi-.
denoe OF the manufacturer, or the
person for whom it IL manufactured. "
That Is, by simply publishing the
formula of the paint, In terms oil
course. with which the average per.
son is wholly unfamiliar, the manu-
faoturer can mix up anything and
term it "pure' or "strictly pure.
A sample of so.called white lead
paint analysed by our chemist last
week was found to contain absolute
no white lead at all, and yet pure
white lead paint is supposed to con.
sist Of nothing but carbonate Of lead
and pure linseed oil. I should take
and the manufacturer of the article
II We could only class it as illegal. .
The present law sanctions just such
"OAA Va VA0 p0AG u G00 k00uQ1HCVOxS1
and this department has no authorit,
to go further. Complaints regarding
the quality of paints are continually
forthcoming, but We are powerles'
under the present law to change con
ditions.
If the buyer wishes to purchase
strictly pure white lead paint the Law
will aid him only by his demanding
an article labelled pure or "strlct
~ pure and which Ia not labelled
giving list of Ingredients othe
than carbonate Of lead and pure lin
seed oil.
The only way to alter conditions
for the paint buyers and users of tn
state to demand of their legislator
that something be done at the mex
session Of the legislature beside
framing the paint law to suit tn
manufacturers.
| THE last Rim RIVER DRIVE