Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-16
AMERICA IN THE LEAD
Secretary Wilson Talks About Inspector of the Pure Food
 Organization.

Washington, D. C., Sept 16.- America now has the most complete and efficient organization for the in- spection of food products in the world"
 It was with pride that Secretary Wilson, of the department of agricul- ture, made this statement, for he has labored many years to bring about such a system of food inspection as would be fair alike to the consumers and to the manufacturers He be- lieves now that he has accomplished the result for which he has worked so long and that, within few months food and drug products exposed for sale anywhere in this country or prepared here for export to other countries will be as pure and whole some as the skill of man can make them.
 Difficulty was experienced by the department of agriculture in obtain ing the services of men of the neces- sary ability and experience to per form the duties of inspectors of foods and drugs. An examination was held under the auspices of the civil service commission to create an eligible list from which appointments of inspec- tors could be made. The result of that examination, in a measure, vas disappointing. Comparatively few of the men who took it were able to qualify under the high standard of ability and fitness set by the govern ment. After many weeks of careful work, however, about two score of in spectors were chosen and they are now at work regularly in districts throughout the country assigned to them by the department.
 Prior to the actual beginning of their field work, the inspectors se- lected were taken to various estab- lishments, in some of the large cities of the country, and given practical demonstration of the character of the work they are to do. Few >f them have had experience in this line Cf work and the experience served tho double purpose of inducting t,cn into their duties and giving them definite information as to the opera tions of the manufacturers. These men are under the direction of Chief Inspector Campbell, formerly state food inspector of Kentucky, who is regarded by Secretary Wilson as one of the most efficient men in his line of work in the country. He has made life study of the question of pure foods and is. regarded as an ex- pert. -. fr-
 The inspectors will visit regularly the food manufacturing plants in their districts and will see to 1t that the law is conformed to in every re- spect. Special attention will be de- voted to drug factories, which will be inspected rigidly. It is the inten- tion, too, of Chief Inspector Camp bell to have the inspectors keep a sharp eye on the hundreds of bottling establishments that have sprung up all over the country. Enormous frauds are being perpetrated on con sumers by some of these plants and it is proposed to put stop to their practices. It is alleged that in some instances impure and unwholesome waters are bottled and sold to public as distilled water or as medicinal spring water. Samples of these waters vii be taken by the inspectors and carefully analysed. Such frauds as may be discovered will be prosecuted vigorously.
 It is proposed to enforce the pure foods and drugs act rigidly and Sec retary Wilson declares no manufac- turer or dealer guilty of fraud or of deception will be permitted to escape the punishment which the law pro- vides for his offense.