, 1906-10-15

N1N ~
Our Pure Food Laws and the Neces
sity for Them prepared by Hon. e
w. Burke, state dairy, food and oil
commissioner, was read by Prof. II. G
knight, the state chemist, at the re.
cent meeting of the Wyoming State
Federation of Women's Clubs in this
city, being received with considerable
manifestation of interest by the dele,
gates:
Letter from Commissioner.
Few people realize what an enor-
nous influence is welded by the manu-
lecturers of fraudulent foods in the
United States. They represent the
greatest accumulation of wealth Of any
class of commercial men in the coun-
try. Their fortunes are made with small
Ter investment and with less effort
and ability than those of any other
class of men. BY the millions n bill
lions of dollars they control, they in
fuence railroad rates, they oblIterate
competition, they besmear the walls
and streets of our towns and cities
with gaudy, flaming bills and adver-
tlsements, they pollute the classic, the
artistic and the beautiful of natural
and human creation with their contain
mating commercialism; they hinder
legitimate commerce and fill the city,
state and national legislative halls
with lobbyists in their efforts to influ-
ence legislation to their liking.
A Paying Business.
The amount of profit OF adulterated
goods makes those who are engaged in
such nefarious business willing to eX-
pend any amount of time and money
to evade the law and to accept the
risk of detection and punishment. This
class of manufacturers are being rap
idly driven out and the violations OF
the law are becoming fewer in num-
Der. The increased number of arti-
cles formerly adulterated, now known
to be pure, has proven not only bene-
fetal to the public health, but has re
moved much of the friction heretofore
existing between the commissioners
and the dealers in food products.
Change for the Better.
~ hdDAC ShuiISS IA AhS ohtANuNC
of the retail trade toward the food and
dairy commission is noticeable in the
past year. A disposition is shown to
consult the department relative to
questions arising from the sale Of food
products and the number of merchants
who are careless and often willing to
take chances by substituting a cheap
or inferior article for a pure one, is
becoming less. A great number of the
adulterations have become less
throughout the state, but the ingenuity
OF INSCRIPTIONS manufacturers is al
ways keeping pace with the vigilance
of the chemist and inspector, and I'M
ceasing efforts are necessary to keep
them out and detect them in the new
forms in which they are being inIroduc-
ed. 1t is very gratifying to be able to
state that the pure food laws of this
state, are now in better favor with all
classes of people than at any time in
their history.
The Food Problem.
The national Importance of the ques.
ton of adulteration of food is fully
shown ty the fact that as much as
one-third to nearly one-half the income
of a large portion of the average work,
ing classes is spent in the purchase
.of food. With this statement in mind,
there are many and sufficient reasons
for the continual efforts of all phil.
anthropic citizens to protect the pub.
lie health and to prevent dishonest OF
INSCRIPTIONS manufacturers and deal
ers from committing offenses against
the dairy and food laws of the state
The pure food issue is a live one, in
this state, and this department has nj
apology to offer as we have already
shown the manufacturers we mean
business. The pure food law is n Of
the best ever spread on our statutes
Use of Personalities.
The use of sulphites, borax or Dor
acic acid. or other chemical preserva
tiyes, is absolutely prohibited in the
state of Wyoming. The supplies are
most commonly found in fresh or un
cured meats, being employed in pre-
serving and Frightening or to restore
Nl1AA hbAuAol IOiOls III LII SNdANs oul
Phites were most frequent in Hamburg
er steak, sausages, etc, as the docke
records show that a considerable mum
Der Of dealers were arrested and fin
cd because of its unwarranted use. 4
number of these defendants pleaded
that the preservative had been sol,
to them through false claims as to tn,
virtues Of the composition. The exper
iments of noted chemists, physician.
and others all show that such preserv
atives not only mask decomposition
but that when administered even ii
small doses, they produce marked an,
unfavorable physiological effects.
Chief Chemist on Borax.
AS to the deleterious effects, Prot
Wiley, chief of the United States bu
reau of chemistry, who makes exhaus
tive and f%ar-reaching experiments
writes as follows:
Results show that one-half a graf,
of borax per day is too much for tn
normal man to receive regularly. Bot
boric acid and borax. when CONSTANT