The Washington herald., 1908-08-04

National Consumers League, the General
Federation Of women's Clubs. and asso-
Citations OF physicians, nurses. chemists,
retail grocers. labor unions. and such OF
the food manufacturers who have favored
pure food regulation
Actual work looking toward the puri-
hcation Of the food supply or the country
was begun when Congress enacted sena-
tor Justin A HorrilTs bill establishing
government experiment stations in each
OF the States At each OF these stations
was a staf Of chemists employed solely by
the government and beyond the influence
OF private interests They worked with
DR.. H W. Wiley. the chief chemist OF
the Department OF Agriculture IN sys-
tematic study Of the aduluerartnyl Of vari-
Gus foods The government chemists
have an association OF their own. but
many OF them are also members OF the
organization which meets to-day at Mack
i mac.
The pure food movement in the States
/ is the outgrowth OF popular protest
I against impure and adulterated milk
Ohio Illinois. Wisconsin. Minnesota, and
/ Connecticut were among the first TO es-
-aaAf--cl -l-ALE t-a-AA Ct-LA-4-ASSl1lAS A-A-SE
/ commissions were equipped with iabora-
] tories. and the chemists gradually
/ branched out and began to examine into
I other things than milk. butter. and
/ cheese. The work naturally enlarged it
1 self and the state laws were amended
/ from time 10 time so as TO include prac-
/ ticaIly all kinds or food stuffs. drugs. and
/ beverages
In some States the authority OF en-
forcing the food laws has been lodged
IN q specially appointed or elected food
and dairy commissioner. IN other States
this authority IS vested in the board Of
health; in others IN the State experiment
stations. and in others IN the State board
Of agriculture Some OF these depart
ments have been al work for twenty
years, others are just beginning The
important thing now is that they are
practically all working in harmony and
I cooperation
! The chemists OF the pure food army
taken altogether, have analyzed more
than 10000 samples Of foods and drugs
They have successfully prosecuted over
10000 suits in the courts. They have
turned their batteries upon the adultsra-
tors. and have succeeded IN stopping %
( q great extent the use OF formaldehyde
n milk. bOric acid IN meat. aniline dyes
and salicylic acid in jellies and soda water
/ syrups. ground rock n -four and baking
powder. ground peanut shells and olive
seeds IN pepper and spices. and wood
alcohol in whiskies. drugs. and faTOring
extracts They have fought against the
fraudulent labelling OF imitation foods
drugs. and beverages Il has been ar
uutiring campaign against poison Nth
and counterfeiJing-
Our grandfathers did not need p-lrs
food laws. They ate meat and vegetables
raised on the home place or brought intc
town by neighboring farmers The coffee
tea and spices. and the sugar they used
came from overseas in sloW-sailing yes
sels. and were distributed 10 consumer.
without being disturbed There were. O.
course occasional adulterations else Con
necIiCut would never have found sale fo-
its ancient wooden autmegs- But. on the
whole, our grandfaIhers knew what they
were eating
The changes OF the age Of steam and
electricity have affected the food supply
more than anything else We eat b-eau
made from -four ground thousands OF
miles away; the village butcher shOT
has passed away before the mammoth
abattoirs OF the great neat-packing com
bines. and practically everything on tn
family dinner table has passed throuEF
I a factory before il reaches the kitchen
II one would know the pedigree and his
tory OF the things he eats. he must d
his part TO uphold the hands OF those whs
are trying 20 enforce the pure food law:
OF the country
tCoTgugh-. lscs. By F7-le-ic J. Hzskin)
TO-mOrrov--The Public Health.
IF-Pure Food Legislation.