The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-13
DAIRYMEN TRIED
 IN POL|CE COURT  Fuqua Bros. Arraigned Charged
 With Adulterating MIX TESTIMONY OF EXPERTS Physicians Testify to Harmfulness of Boracic Acid While Pharmacist contradIcts Them-case Con-
 tlnued Until Tuesday.
TESTIMONY OF EXPERTS

Nearly all of yesterdays sessions of the police court, both morning and aft ernoon. were taken up in hearing the evidence in the case of the city meat and milk inspector against Fuqua Bros, charged with selling milk containing bo- rax or boraic acid. After hearing the evidence introduced by the prosecution and one witness for the defense, Judge Feagin continued the case to 10 o'clock Tuesday morning
 City Attorney Ed Smith conducted the prosecution, while Frank s. White repre- sented the defendants. MT. White took the position in conducting the defense that boraic acid is as harmless as salt and said that preserved meats were sat- urated with boraic acid and other such chemicals and that they were harmless He is attempting to prove his position to be correct by the introduction of ex- pert testimony.
 City Attorney Smith is endeavoring to prove that boraic acid and such preserva- tives produce harmful effects on the con- sumer of milk containing 1t and intro- duced the reports of a number of state health departments to sustain his con tention.
 Duncan Testlfies. City Milk Inspector Duncan was the first witness and stated that he had test ed the milk containing the boraic acid and had discovered the city ordinance prohibiting the sale of milk containing any foreign substance of whatever kind. e he wit ness for the prosecution, testified as an expert as to the effects of boraic acid taken internally. Replying to questions. Dr. McLester testified, in substance, as follows:
 '.Boraic acid taken in milk or in any other way for any considerable period. even in small doses, Is harmful to the human organism. The symptoms pro- duced by its absorption in milk are at first very gentle and obscure and not at all we'll marked. Taken for long time 1t probably would result in some ! sort of trouble, among other disorders inflammation of the kidneys" The wit- ness said he had had in his personal prac- tice one very severe case of boraic acid
  fant where the child had been given. through the mistake of druggist, bo- raic acid instead of milk sugar in milk. The child had taken from ten to twenty five grains of boraic acid and had almost completely collapsed It came near to dying.
 Dr. w. s. Brown practically corrob- orated Dr. McLester. He referred to the same specific case as had Dr. McLester and added that in his opinion boraic acid taken internally continually and for long time was very detrimental and dan gerous.
 Drs. J M. Mason and Parks testified at length along the same line
 Witness for Defense. Arlie Barber the well-known drug gist and pharmacist was the first wit ness introduced by the defense. MT. Barber stated that practically all dairy men in this district had been using compound which his firm sold and which contained boracic acid. It had been sold and used for the purpose of preserving milk for the past ten years that he
  or other, had ever been able to say that the compound did any one any harm He claimed that it had no harmful quail ties. If witness thought 1t had he would not sell it. as he was as much inter- ested in the good health and general well-being of Birmingham as any one else, milk inspectors included. MT. Barber said he was confirmed in his opinion by the most prominent med ical and agricultural experts in this coun- try and Europe Every day he sold acct ic acid and other preservatives to coun- try people and others who purchased them to preserve their canned fruits, etc. At the conclusion os Mir. Barber's ex- animation Judge Feagin announced that he would continue the case until Tues day. as he had some other cases to dis pose of yesterday afternoon.