Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1908-05-09

that furnish II with food. They are
dealing in the kind of ''public utili.
ties that mean life or death. In OBJ
tanning this knowledge. the public ex-
poets to be enlightened from the re-
ports of state Pure Food Commission
ers and the columns of the press.
This year is the presidential year.
and 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 I'm its
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
ere. has added fuel to the fire. and
next year will see the country ablaze
upon the subject.
The ,a,re food department Of Illinois.
like the health department Of Chicago.
has rested supinc. while other states.
IKE 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.
nonwealths.
We have not heard Of their saying
anything about sending UNIT food into
the states where the authorities are
not 20 honest.
According to all accounts, much bo'
racic acid and supplies. as well as
many dyes, are used by packers. and 1t
u against these preservatives that
many states having honest ofiicials
have taken action.
The records Of the North Dakota
and Kentucky Pure Food departments
show what has been done In this direc'
tion In past years.
We do not know whether boric acid
and SUPPLIES are used by the big Chi
caeo packers now or not. as city In
epectors have been withdrawn from
the large houses.
Showing the effect Of boric acid and
q the b0rates, the following II repro
duced from pages II and u. Of Part
2. Of the Fifteenth Annual Report OF
Z. F. Ladd, food commissioner OF North
Dakota:
"s the use OF borax and
boric acid interferes with the ab
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
excretlon Of these substances from the
body il 10 slow that their accumulation
IN the body Is probable. Borax and
boric acid cause diuresls, which may
produce damage Of the kidneys; they
may cause skin disturbances; they
may produce diarrhqa; they interiors
with the abnormal absorption OF food
and they may produce vomiting. The
conclusion IL that the use OF borl'
compounds In food should be forbid
6en."
On page IL OF the same part Of the
came report, the North Dakota food
commissioner has this to say about the
use Of sodium supplies In meats:
Our own studies with sausages and
hamburger steak indicate that from
90 to O3O per cent Of supplies are
employed in these meats. As to thu
harmfulness Of these products a recent
article by DIR. Harrington, OF Harry
ard Medical College, entitled Sodium
suIphite; a Dangerous Food Preserya
tive gives the results OF his investl
cations and from this We quote thu
following:
"It 10 classed as food preserya
tive, but Its antiseptic properties are
comparatively feeble. II is used more
especially on account Of its effect OF
the appearance Of the food to which Il
IL added, its preventative influence be
ing decidedly q minor consideration. II
confers upon minced meat chopped
meat) an abnormally brilliant red col
or, which conveys to the purchaser thu
Idea OF freshness. Persistlng as i
does. meat which IL In reality we'll ad
vanced In decomposition Is readily dis
posed OF as perfectly fresh, for although
the number Of bacteria per grain ma!
run as high as 200 millions, 1t ma!
give on no marked odOr. 1t may fairl!
BE- said that On account OF Its masking
decomposition, II is an undesirable
sdmixture.'"
Certainly, then, with these facts be
fore us. we DO not believe that the PEG
pie Of North Dakota wish 10 allow tn
.ndiscriminate use OF these drugs ant
chemicals In their food products"
The following standards are lait
down for food control work, In thu
same report, page 10:
Preserved meats: Ham, bacon
dried beef and cured meats should
be preserved b smoke, deslccation
salt and sterilization only.
Sausages: Sausages are finely diva
I'd or hashed meats mixed with spices
10 -. ,nI N,