The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-10-04
FOR HEALTH'S SAKE
SEE THAT YOUR FooOsTuFFs
ARE PURE.
ADULTERATIONS ARE COMMON
unserupulous Dealers IN Large Cities
fhe Medium for Disposin9 OF
Such coods-Purehase
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 old libel on the state Of Ccnnecti-
cut-the wooden nutmeg. but there
are worse things than wooden nut
megs. Unprincipled manufacturers
and dealers for many years have re
sorted 10 adulteration OF foodstuns 10
increase profits In the matter OF
spices. only a short time since the
food commission Of one OF the states
discovered among SO samples analysed
more than 30 that were adulterated-
In pepper. stems and barks were
ground. in every class OF ground
spice foreign substances were added
10 give weight. and in numerous cases
particularly favoring extracts, the ar
ticles supposed 10 be made from pure
fruits. were found to be syntheucal.
or entirely artificial. preparations
from coal tar.
These goods were prepared BY con
Germs that have no regular trade. but
depend upon agents to sell goods for
them TO whoever they can. IL is rare
ly thst a reliable wholesale grocery
house sells such goods. as retailers
will not knowingly keep them in
stock. as they cannot be legally sold.
and some officer OF the food depart
ment OF the state is likely to drop into
the store AT any time. confscate the
goods. and impose a heavy fine on the
dealer.
A short time ago health officers in
Philadelphia found a 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 il 10 be mainly = poor quality
Of cotton seed oil. and the lowest
grade Of olive Hundreds Of cases
Of the stun we're traced 70 a city in
the middle vest. where il was dis
posed OF under cOntrac; TO houses who
sell direct 10 consumers through
agents and BY mail Not alone are
spices. extracts. olive oil and sim
liar foodstuns adultersted this way.
but the fraud extends still further
Cheap kinds Of fish. such as bake. cat
fish, etc. are prepared and placed on
the market as genuine Goldfish Toma-
TO catsups are made OF a good quality
OF pumpkin and given the right color
by dye stufs. and favored by the
use OF coal tar extracts. Hundreds OF
other articles are "doctored" the same
way. II is rarely that such artificial
goods find 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 loca-
ton. and who seek protection in the
interstate commerce law. and who
seek TO dispose OF their goods directly
20 the consumers. as no federal or
state officer is likely TO call at a pri-
vate house and make an analysis Of
foods used
II seems that neither the national
Or state laws can be so closely ap-
piled as 10 prevent this evil. IL 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 so
numerous