New-York tribune., 1905-02-08
TO EAT FOREIGN FOODS.
Women Shocked at Gross Adulterations IN
This Country's Products.

The members of the Health Protective Association
went home yesterday afternoon after their regular
monthly meeting in the Academy OF Medicine with
the apparently unpatriotic determination TO buy
imported food products after this. Their purpose,
however. was no; so unpatriotio 1t looked, for
they expect thereby not only to protect themselves
and their families from the evil effects of adultera-
ton but TO force the homo manufacturers TO come
up to the foreign level.
The society had been addressed by r. E. Doohttle.
the chief of the NewYork Laboratory OF the United
States Department Of Agriculture and he had told
them that the country had little protection against
aduteraton and rnisbranding except in the case
of foreign products. These. in consequence of re-
cent legislation. now denied admission TO the
country If aduterated of inferior quality, thus
placing q premium upon foreign goods. Not all
aduteration is prohibited it is true but the neces
sity for calling things just what they are Is as
effective actual prohibition
importers say" said Mr. Doolittle that TO mark
their products artifclay colored is just the same
as inscribe the word poison upon them
Another resolution which the women present
made to grind their spices henceforth
and forever. It is practically the only way, MI
Doolitte said, pure coffee and Spices
and even then one cannot be absolutely sure that
some Of the coffee beans are not made out OF
wheat ''middiings."
| Mr.. Doottle passed around some specimens OF
| coffee and spices which were made up, according
| to the analyses pasted on the bottles, of almost
everything except the substances indicated by tls
olive stones. cocoanut shells. wheat middIings and
white pepper shells An analysis of ginger brought
TO light such things wheat -four, rice bran, mus
tard hulls and in one case 70 per cent OF plaster
harmless vegetable oil and in another with nartius
| yellow, a poisonous coal tar dye. It was adul-
| terated with -four and in with 20 per
! cent Of plaster. Coffee adulterated with chic
ory and various other things. but here IL appears,
IF you want test coffee" said Mr.. DOolittle,
| Just put little OF il In water. The coffee Will
float, and the adulterants will sink to the bottom
Other specimens which the speaker showed
| cream Of tartar made up of acid phosphate
! of lime and 20 per cent Of plaster.
| Just such ingredients ordinarily used for
/ fertilizers commented Mr. Doolitte.
! A specimen Of curraut jelly had been analyzed
! into starch paste sweetened with glucose colored
| with coal tar, favored with chemicals and pre-
served with salicyclo acid.
/ "Jelles and jams among the most grossly
adulterated products the markets, and havoring
! extracts such vanilla. lemon and orange, are
| tain much 80 per cent Of wood alcohol.
| almost deadly poison which acts upon the eyes
! and produces blindness.
| The extent to which artificial coloring matter
is used in food products IS something tremendous,
| proceeded Mr. Doolittle land for this the con-
! sumers have themselves to blame. to a great ex-
/ tent. They attracted by brtlliancy of color
| heaven knows whyi-whereas, they ought to re-
| gard it q flag of danger
why can't the OF all artificial colorIng be
prohibited" asked the president, Mrs J. Augustine
THAT IS what I should like to done" re-
! turned the speaker. II don't why any one
/ wants the color. But, a matter Of fact, 1t
would be very difficult to carry out such meas
! Ure long the consumer demands brightly
/ educated public. and that is where organizations
like this do good work.