Chicago eagle., 1908-04-04

that furnish ii with food. They are |
dealing in the kind of public utili. !
ties" that mean life or death. In OBJ
tainng this knowledge the public ex'
p.cts to he enlightened from the re-
ports of state Pure Food Commission.
ers aud the columns of the presa.
This year is the presidential year.
aud on every stump the packers and
their records will be held up to the
public eye and given to the public ear.
The failure of the government In its
attack on the Beef Trust because the
packers turned states evidence on
themselves and were granted an i'm
munity bath In consequence. has not
been forgotten by the people. and the
great rise In the price of meat has
tested the patience OF the voters TO the
limit.
The withdrawal OF the City OF Chi.
cago inspectors from the big packing
houses. presumably to oblige the pack.
ers. has added fuel to the fire. and
next year will see the country ablaze
upon the subject.
The l,,ire food department OF Illinois.
like the health department of Chicago.
has rested supine. while other states.
like Michigan. North Dakota. Pennsyl-
vania and Kentucky have taken great
pains to protect their citizens.
And the packers appreciate the ef-
forts Of these states to protect the
health Of the men, women and children
residing in them by promising not to
send adulterated food into these com.
monwealths.
We have not heard Of their saying
anything about sending unfit food into
tue states where the authorities are
not so honest.
According to all accounts. much bo.
racic acid and sulphites. IA well as
many dyes. are used by packers. and 1t
IL against these preservativcs that
many states having honest officials
have taken action.
The records Of the North Dakota
and Kentucky Pure Food departments
show what has been done In this dlrec.
tion In past years.
We do not know whether borlc acid
and supplies are used by the big Chi.
cago packers now or not. as city in'
spectors have been withdrawn from
the large houses.
Showing the effect Of borlc acid. and
Of the borates. the following Is repro.
duced from pages II and Il. Of Part
2. OF the Fifteenth Annual Report OF
IF. Ladd, food commissioner Of North
Dakota:
"s the use OF borax and
boric acid interferes with the alb
sorption Of food and causes the excre-
ton of an abnormally large amount OF
nitrogen. He believes 1t Is demon.
strated that large doses of bcric acid
reduces the body weight and that the
excretion of these substances from the
body is so slow that their accumulation
In the body Is probable. Borax ana
boric acid cause diuresls, which may
produce damage Of the kidneys; they
may cause skin disturbances; they
may produce diarrhGa they Interfere
with the abnormal absorption OF food
and they may produce vomiting. The
conclusion IL that the use OF borlc
compounds in food should be forbid
den"
On page l2 OF the same part OF the
Same report. the North Dakota food
commi IS oner has this to say about the
use OF sodium sulphltes In meats:
Our own studies with sausages and
hamburger steak indicate that from
90 to O3O per cent of sulphites are
employed in these meats. As to the
harmfulness Of these products recent
article by DR.. Harrington, OF Harv'
ard Medical College, entitled Sodium
Su!phite; a Dangerous Food Preserva.
tive gives the results OF his investi'
cations and from this We quote the
following:
"It is classed as a food preserva.
tive, but is antiseptic properties are
comparatively feeble. II Is used more
especially on account OF its effect on
ahe appearance Of the food to which 1t
Is added, its preseryative influence be-
ing decidedly a minor consideration. II
cOnfers upon minced meat Chopped
meat an abnormally brilliant red col
or, which conveys to the purchaser the
idea of freshness. Perslstng as 1t
does, meat which is In reality well ad.
vanced in decomposition Is readily dis.
posed OF as perfectly fresh, for although
the number OF bactera per grain may
run as high as 800 millions, 1t may
give off no marked odor. 1t may fairly
be said that on account OF its masking
decomposition, it Is an undesirable
admixture
Certainly, then, with these facts be.
fore us, We do not believe that the peo-
pie OF North Dakota wish to allow the
.ndiscriminate use OF these drugs and
chemicals in their food products"
The following standards are laid
down for food control work, In the
same report, page l3:
Preserved meats: Ham, bacon,
dried beef aud cured meats should
be preserved ~ smoke, desiccation,
salt and sterilization only.
Sausages: Sausages are finely diva
ed or hashed meats mixed with spices