The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1906-02-28
EATING DIRT.

II 10 III Oio sol hAo
eat a peck of dirt during his lifetime.
Judging from the reports of pure food
experts we are all likely 10 e1r much
more than our allotted peck.
Science has defined dirt as matter
out of place"
According to that definition we are
eating dirt pretty much all the time
A very large proportion of our food Is
full of matter out of place; matter
which properly has nothing to do w1h
the food inwhich it is ound
Probably most of tn PIE in this vicin-
ity who put up j%ellies know somethinE
about the use of parafine. A little of /
Is melted and poured over the top of
a glass of jelly hardens, and withou
mixing with the delicacy below, forms a
permanent, alright covering.
In that case paraffine is not dirt. II
is a matter in its appropriate and use
full place. But a New York pure food
expert has found parafine in cakes ard
candies where it is used to give then.
consistency. There it is dirt. 1t is o:
posin, but it is about as bad for the bn--
man stomach. 1t is a matter very lad
ly out of place.It does for the stomach
very much the same as it does fer
the glass of jelly. 1t puts on the lid.
1t is absoluty indigestible, and the cen
sequence to those who eat the rake
is liable to be tomac trouble and ap-
pendicitis.
To go back to the glass of jelly; 1t
Is altogether probable. unless it was
made by someone who could be trusted.
that below the parafine lid contained a
m ixlur.occufgeos bgkqj hmr hmrdl h
mixture of glucose. gelatine and an
lime coloring matter. There is nothing
particularly harmeful about glucose and
geiatine. who wants to eat dystuff? Be
Sides those who pap for fruit juice je.-
ly, should no the served with glucose
and gelatine They are matter out of
place and consequently dirt.
A Chicago expert has been analyzing
some samples of "home made catsup.
Now home made catsup is supposed TO
consist of good. ripe tomatoes with
certain legitimate seasoning. But the
samples in question contained aniline dive
benzoic acid and salicylic acid. If that
the consumption of what i'm sold as
homemade catsup. what must De or
binary commercial article?
Yet almost everyone eats "store, c,t-
sup, and a great many, especially girls
eat candy and cakes. No wonder we
have stomach troubles.
The revelations of these experts mere
~ confirm other statements to the same
effect, covering a very large range OF
foods. We are eating dirt by the guam
tity every day. 1t is in milk and whiskey:
In drugs and in patent medicines; in gro
ceries, fruit preparations. etc.
What can be done avout IT?
An honest system of inspection could
be made to accomplish something. Es-
pecially 1t might scare adulterators into
""S' iof 2 "a Vi uStcEtiOn DunlSh-
ment.
The people can do a great deal i'm
their individual capacity to minimize the
evil. They can stop drinking whiskey ana
taking patent medicines. and SO escape
sundry form of dirt eating. There is
little danger of eating art In eggs.
butchers meat. vegetables ana fr~sh
fruit. AS for bread, the staff Of life.
1t Is good If the baking powder is good,
OF a wholesome substitute is used.
But how about the groceries?
We would be better off without a
great many of them. The various con-
diments and sauces and appetizers when
apear so often on the table. are large y
receptacles for Dirt. that Is for matter
out of place, adulterants. Aside from
pepper and salt and vinegar. most or
them might be droppep with advantage
to both stomach and pocket.
And while all these aduiteration is
going on. Congress hesitates about pas