Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-01-25
GAMERS UP IN ARMS
CHEF or GOVERNMENT BuRE6u
TAKES BOLD STAND.
Puts Ban on Benzoate of Soda as a
Preservatiye for Canned Fruits,
Vegetables and Pickles.

HdtrNl1I 7uOl lily Will Dt su1c3ueu Dy the
agricultural department that is Of i'm
portance to manufacturers throughout
the country and to every householder
in the land.
It relates to the use Of benzoate
Of soda as a preservatiye. Already
Or. Harvey w. Wiley, chief Of the
bureau Of chemistry OF the department
Of agriculture, has placed his ban on
the use Of the substance in com
mercia1 way, and it is assured that the
department win sustain his ruling in
the matter
Until the order has been approved
by Secretary Wilson. of the depart
ment Of agriculture. Secretary Cortei-
you Of the treasury. and Secretary
straus Of the department Of commerce
and labor. it cannot become operative.
Tt is reasonably certain. however, that
these ,fficials viii put upon It the
stamp Of their approval.
Heretofore Gamers Of vegetables.
jams. fruit. pickles and syrups have
used benzoate Of soda as a preserva-
tive. in the behalf that 1t was abso.
lutely harmless. When the use Of the
substance was attacked, an intimation
was given to those who were interest
ed that there was no likelihood of the
prohibition of its use, as it was not
supposed at that time there was any
reason why it should not be used in
a proper way When the subject was
investigated by DR.. Wiley, he found
that benzoate of soda was really
harmful to the human organism when
used to the extent that most of the
Gamers employ 1t. His judgement
was opposed to the judgment and ex-
perience of scores of users of sodium
benzoate, but that made no difference
to him. He insisted that the order
should be issued prohibiting the use
of the substance as a preservative and
the probability is that he will prevail.
Already Gamers of various products
in which bezoate of soda is used as
a preservative have indicated their
intention to carry the matter into the
courts and there is a bright prospect
that the government viii have on its
hands spirited lawsuit.
Some of the most eminent chemists
of the country have declared that the
use of bnzoate of soda as a preserva.
tive is entirely harmless. They in
clud such distinguished scientists az
Prof Victor G. Vaughn, Of the Jrniver,
sity Of Michigan, and Prof. Edward
Kremers, of the University of Wiscon-
sin. On the other hand, DR.. Wiley re-
lies on the experiments he made with
his poison squad" satisfied that the
results he obtained are sufficiently de-
finite to warrant the prescription of
benzoate Of soda as preservative.
Gamers have tried to find sub
stitute for sodium benzoate. but thus
far have been unable to obtain salts
isfactory results. One concern doing
az business approximating million
dollars a year, abandoned the use OF
the substance and in a month found
that i was losing money, because its
products We're souring in the market
II the rule against the use Of the sub
stance is promulgated officially, the
products which are preserved by it
cannot be shipped as interstate com
merce, lest the producer becomes
liable under the pure food and drug
act.
Gamers maintain that benzoate of
SODA acts as a germacide and if they
are not permitted to use it as a pre-
sentative the general public will have
no protection against ptomaine poison.
ing, which is likely to follow the use
OF such articles as are placed on the
market with out some such substance
as one of the component parts.