The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-23
Better Way of Dealing
With Food Law.
DECIDED PROGRESS
Has Been Made by Department IN Re-
ducing AduIteratiOn of Foods. Inter-
view With State Chemist Kilgore
and Secretary Bruner of the
Board of Agriculture.

-. L
of Agriculture being absent from the
city. a representative of The News ana
Observer obtained interviews yester-
dav with State Chemist b. w. Kilgore,
and Secretary T. *. Bruner. of the
Board of Agriculture. in regard to the
interview with State Biologist Gerald
Mccarthy, who said that the law rel
ative to the adulteration of foods was
not being enforced. and that the peo-
pie of the State. who purchase fresh
meats are being poisoned.
Mr.. Kilgore says the meat dealers
violated the law i'm ignorance, and
states that they have agreed to dis
continue the use of adulterants. and
he believes this to be a better method
of dealing with a new law rather than
to resort to extreme measures.
Mr.. Bruner said he favored the en-
forcement of the law in it's most ex-
treme penalty, and cantinued:
For years the practice in the mark
cts of the State have been atrocious
in the reckless use of poisonous and
deleterious antiseptics, and | strongly
endorsed the amended law. which ef-
Ifectually-if enforced-does away with
this menace to our people.
Mr.. Kilgore's Statement.
Stae Chemist Kilgores statement was
as follows:
THE interview in Thursdays News
and Observer with Mr.. Mccarthy
under the heading The State Food Law
is Not Enforced is erroneous in many
particulars and misleading. This is
due. in part, at least to lack of knowl-
edge of what has been and is being
4 IF tha 1at
THE law under which the pure food
Work is done, was passed by the Legis-
lature of 1899. That decided progress
has been made in reducing adultera-
tion as the result of the operation of
the law is shown by the following re-
suits:
"In 1900. Sc per cent. of the food
products examined were in some way
found to be adulterated;
I'm 1901. 35.7 per cent;
I'm 1902, 21.3 per cent;
"In 1908, 32.1 per cent;
"In 1904, II per cent.
"AlI these results have been pub
lished in the Bulletin and a summary
each year given to the newspapers.
Special reference is made to the
examination of twelve samples of
fresh meats for preservatives and the
samples were taken in the summer of
1904, and not in 1905, as the interview
indicated, at which time the food law
Ibid not contain a specific provision pro-
hibiting the use of preservatlVes-
These results were used, with other
data for use before the Legislature OF
1905 to get an amendment to the law
specifically prohibiting the use OF
such preservatives. The amendment
nfc no
publication of results. though the
Board of Agriculture is authorized to
make only such publication of results
as they may deem proper. The analy-
SeS Of the samples in question were
therefore made to serve useful pur-
pose and put the Department in bet
ter position to enforce the law on this
point than it has been heretofore. Fur
ther samples of fresh meats, oysters
sausage, etc, were collected during the
present year, mainly during the sum-
mer, and on the Raleigh market. The
law regarding preservatives had been
in operation only a few months when
| the samples were drawn and when the
results were reported to the dealers
some claimed they did not kno of the
existence of the law or of the harmful
ness of the materials employed. All
the Raleigh meat dealers whose pro-
duClS were eAdlIilIleu ana IOullu duui-
terated have agreed to discontinue the
use of preservatiVes, and on this basis,
the Board of Agriculture at its recent
meeting, authorized the suspension OF
Judgment. with the understanding
that in case of future vialotion the re-
suits would be used. We consider
this better method of dealing with
new law rather than to resort to ex-
treme measures at the beginning. and
feel that the law can be more effec-
lively enforced by having the intelll-
gent and moral support of Dealers
With the large number of interests
entrusted to the Department. the
Board of Agriculture has not been able
ito devote large amounts to the develop
ment and execution of the food work,
but that good and effective results
have been accomplished is shown by
the decrease in adulteration above,
and the many UNDERSTANDINGS which
are being had with manufacturers and
dealers within the State regarding the
discontinuance of the use of abjec-
tionable materials in the food pro-
ducts they are putting on our mark
cts.
THE Commissioner Of Agriculture
being absent this statement is made
to correct the unfair impression which
was likely made by the interview re-
| TERED to above.
Mr.. Burners Statement.
Mr. X. Bruner, Secretary to the
Board Of Agriculture, said that he had
read Mr. McCarthy's views and that he