The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-08-02
LEGAL INTOXICANTS.
Bulletin No. Issued by the Minnesota
Dairy and Food Commission.

have collected in the past few weeks
many samples of whiskey, black
berry brandy and port wine. Every
sample of whiskey so far reported
by our chemists has proven legal.
In view of the popular opinion that
there is considerable poor whiskey
upon sale IN the state such report
requires an explanation. The stu
alton is simply this: The depart
ment is given a certain law to en-
force and said department can only
enforce that law as it stands. If
the law is not framed so that it will
properly regulate the sale of an ar
ticle it does not lie with the depart
ment to correct matters; that work
must be done by the lawmakiug
body.
The section of our state law regu-
lating ~ the liquor business is as
follows;
No person shall within this state
by himself, his servant or agent, or
as servant or agent of any other
person or corporation, manufacture,
brew, distill, have or offer for sale,
or sell any spirituous or fermented
or malt liquors containing any drug,
substance or ingredient not normal
or healthful, to exist in spirituous,
fermented or malt liquors, or which
may be deleterious or detrimental
to health when such liquors are
used as beverage, and the follow
ing drugs, substances or ingredi
ence shall be deemed to be not nor
NAL or healthful to exist in spiritu-
Gus, fermeDted or malt liquors, and
shall be deemed to be deleterious
or detrimental to health when con-
tanned in such liquors, to-wit: Coo
culus indicus, chloride of sodium,
copperas, opium, cayenne pepper,
picric acid, Indian hemp, strych-
nine, arsenic, tabacco, darnel seed,
extract of logwood, salts of zinc,
copper or lead, alum, methyl alco-
hol and it's derivatives, amyl alco-
hol, and any extract or compound
of any of the above drugs, sub
stances or ingredients, and any
person violating any of the provis
ions of this act shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be punished
by fine of not less than twenty
five (25) dollars or more than one
hundred (100) dollars and costs, or
by Imprisonment of not less than
ten (10) or more than ninety 900
days for the first offense, and by a
fine of not less than fifty (5O) dollars
or more than one hundred (100) dol
lars and costs, or Imprisonment of
not less than thirty (30) or more
than ninety COY day, or by both
fine and Imprisonment for any SUBJ
sequent ofense. Z"
The law simply provides for the
prohibition of certain ingredients
Injurious to health, and if those in
gradients are not found in the ar
ticle the product must be classed
illegal, regardless of its quality.
Unlike the laws relating to food
products, no standard is fixed, and
everything is legal which does not
contain these prohibited ingredi-
ents. The manufacturers of the
goods are of course sufficiently
posted upon the requirements of
the law to leave out these ingredi-
ents.
In almost every case in the past
where illegal whiskey has been
found the product has been the
more expensive bonded or straight
whiskey.
Fusel oil is derivatiye of amyl
alcohol, and is therefore prohibit
ed ingredient. The cheaper blended
whistles do not as a rule contain
this product.
A standard for whiskey is neces-
sary for the proper regulation of
the article, and until the present
law is greatly improved upon little
can be accomplished.
The majority of the samples of
black berry brandy and port wine
have been found legal, although
several samples have been found to
contain salicylic acid and coal tar