The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-01-17
A PURE FOOD TALK
State Inspector Tate Visits Leon
and lnstruCts Merchants in Re-
gard to the New Law.

and lnstruCts Merchants in Re-
gard to the New Law.
The new state pure food law which
went into effect the first of last July has
never been very we'll understood, but
the state officials who have charge of its
enforcement are doing everything in
their power to instruct and interest," the
dealers and people at large of the state.
Deputy state Inspector j. G. Tate, of
Des Moines, was in Leon last Wednes-
day, calling on the merchants and giving
them much useful information as to what
would be required of them, and on We'd
nesday evening public meeting was
held at the K. p. hall which was attended
by nearly every merchant Of Leon at
which Mr.. Tate went over many of the
details of the provisions Of the new law
which opened the eyes of those present.
The Iowa pure food law went into
effect on July 1st, but the state depart
ment has only been in perfect operation
since about October lst. The depart
ment is now equipped so it can analyze
food products and the officials composing
the pure food commission are now en-
gagged in not only discovering what ar
tlcles exposed for sale are in compliance
with the law, but are making every
effort to acquaint manufactures, dealers
and consumers with it's requirements.
1t is the only department of any kind in
the United States that is endeavOring to
to spread information among the'people
concerning the working of any law.
The theory is, that, while ignorance of
the law excuses no violators, it is easier
and better to secure proper obedience
to a law by explaining it than by pro-
ceeding at once to prosecute and fine
people who offend through want Of
knowledge.
The prime object of the new law is to
prevent the use of deleterious substances
in food products and to discourage sub
stltution and deception. Every article
OF food sold in Iowa, if it is not exactly
what it purports to be, must be labeled
as being substitute and the label must
state. what substance enters into it's COM
position. The label prescribed must be
In exact compliance with the law as to
wording and style and must bear the
name and address of the manufacturers,
packer or dealers.
Mr.. Tate is one Of four food inspect
ors in Iowa. Three of them are at
work in the Office. and labratories in
Des Moines, while Mr.. Tate travels over
the entire state. His duties at present
include the instruction he is giving,
and the picking up of goods in stores
here and there over the state to be
sent to headquarters to be analysed.
He drops into stores and buys such ar
tlcies as appear suspicious and if after
thew have haan n taI bo1
t. be deleterious the parties will be
prosecuted under the law.
While at Charlton last week he filed
an information against a poultry man,
engaged in buying, killing and shipping
poultry, having secured evidence that
all the dead chickens which were
, thrown out OF the coops when received
at the poultry house were afterwards
picked up and dressed, and shipped to
the cities or disposed of to the local
hotel as good chickens. The depart
ment VIII prosecute the man to the full
eNtent "f the law as an example.
In his talk Mr.. Tate mentioned some
of the food products that are prohibited.
French peas, colored with an acid that
produces verdigris, are among them.
Goldfish In brick form, preserved with
boracic acid, are also under the ban, but
Goldfish preserved in salt brine are not.
Canned corn sweetened with sac
charine is considered unwholesome, but
Mr.. Tate says all the corn canned in
Iowa that he has found is sweetened
with sugar, so that it may be considered
pure. Saccharine is coal tar product
and one pound of it will go as far as 500
pounds of sugar, but it is injurious to
health.
Mr.. Tate had learned of cases of sick
ness ia Atlantic and Oskaloosa from eat
ing bulk oysters. Some dealers in
oysters preserve them with an acid
known as formaldehyde, a fluid used by
undertakers in embalming dead bodies.
1t is very dangerous substance when
taken internally. He had heard of only
one instance where canned oysters were
preserved by this method, an Omaha
firm doing it.
Some butchers use an acid, vulgarly
known as ''freezum," to make stale meats
look fresh. When used in small quanti-
ties it is not really dangerous, but most
butchers use too great quantity, when
it becomes dangerous to health, so it's
use prohibited. If sausages are made of
both beef and pork it is unlawful to sell
them as pork sausage.
Lard compound, that is, lard made from
tallow and cotton seed oil, must be
labeled as such. Persons selling as lard
anything that contains any other sub
stance than the fat of the hog are liable
to prosecution.
Pure cider vinegar requires no label
but all other viDegars do. While dis
titled vinegars are considered purer
than most of the cider vinegar, there is
no exemption from the label for the dis
titled article.
A great many catsups are made from
pumpkins and other things besides to-
matoes and injurious substances are used
for coloring to make them look right.
The coloring is prohibited.
All baking powders must be labeled
and the substances entering into their
compositions must be stated on the label.
Buckwheat flour mixed with other fiours
must also be labeled.
It is unlawful to sell as extracts any