The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1907-11-01
FOR HEAITH's SAKE
SEE THAT YOUR FooDsTUFFs
ARE PURE.
ADULTERATIONS ARE COMMON
Unscrupulous Dealers In Large cities
the Medium for pisposins OF
~ Such Goods-Purehase
,.:sr. At Home.

For years one Of the matters which
has received the careful attention of
the department Of agriculture Is food
adulteration. Who has not heard Of
the oldIibel on the state of Connecti-
cut-the wooden nutmeg. but there
are worse things than wooden nut
megs. Unprincipled manufacturers
and dealers for many years have re-
sorted to adulteration of foodstuffs to
increase profits. In the matter OF
spices, only a short time since the
discovered among SO samples analyzed
more than 80 that were adulterated.
In pepper. stems and barks were
ground, in every class Of ground
spice foreign substances were added
to give weight. and in numerous cases.
particularly favoring extracts, the ar
ticles supposed to be made from pure
Q. fruits, were found to be synthetical.
or entirely artificial, preparations
!. from coal,tar.
These goods we're prepared by con-
Germs that have no regular trade. but
depend upon agents to sell goods for
them,to whoever they can. 1t is rare
ly that reliable wholesale grocery
house sells such goods. as retailers
will not knowingly keep them in
stock. as they cannot be legally sold.
and some oficer Of the food depart.
ment of the state is likely to drop into
the store at any time, conflscate the
goods, and impose . heavy fine on the
dealer.
A.short time ago health onicers in
Philadelphia found number Of Ital.
ians in a cellar putting oil in bottles.
and labelling the same with a foreign
looking label An analysis of the oil
proved 1t to be mainly q poor quality
of cotton.seed oil, and the lowest
grade Of olive. Hundreds Of cases
Of the stun were traced to city in
the middle west, where 1t was dis
posed Of under contract to houses who
sell direct to consumers through
agents and by mail. Not alone are
spices. extracts. olive oil and sim
ilar foodstuffs adulterated this way.
but the fraud extends still further.
Cheap kinds Of fsh. such as hake. cat
fsh, ETC.. are prepared and placed on
the market as genuine Goldfish. Toma-
to catsups are made Of q good quality
of pumpkin and given the right color
by dye stufrs. and favored by the
use Of coal tar extracts. Hundreds of
other articles are "doctored" the same
way. It is rarely that such artificial
goods And their way into the hands
Of regular grocers throughout the
country, but are disposed Of by con.
Germs who depend upon doing bust.
ness at points distant from their ioca.
tion, and who seek protection in the
interstate commerce law, and who
seek to dispose Of their goods directly
to the consumers, n NO federal OF
state oficer is likely to call at q pri.
vate house and make An analysis OF
foods used.
It seems that neither the national
or state laws can be SO closely ap.
piled as to prevent this evil. II the
masses Of people would study into this
question the buying of foods from
others than local dealers, who are
known to be honest, would be the re-
suit. and the daily reports of people
being mysteriously poisoned by eating
some article Of food would not be 80
numerous.