The Washington times., 1908-03-27
Five Noted Chemists
Will Decide What's
Really Good.
Wiz Only Pass Upon
Questions Over Which
Scientists Disagree.

1t appears that it will cost this pur-
ity-lOving nation quite a penny every
time the new board Of pure food rel
erees appointed as a court Of las ap-
peal from the mandates Of DR.. Wiley.
opines whether o. not certain insra-
dent Is impure Jr is really delectable
as food.
The board Of referees. composed Of
five distinguished scientists, began their
first Iabors two days ago, ana were
told by Secretary Wilson TO delve into
the question OF sulphur and benzoic acid,
which Din Wiley held TO be harmful
and which a great multitude of manu-
facturers protested was beneficial In
stead. The board having been appoint
ed by the President is under the juris-
dictiOn OF none of the departments. Said
Secretary Wilson:
They work when they please, where
they please, and how they please.
referred benzOate Of soda and sulphur
10 them as a starter. and presume they
will get down 10 work on them as soon
as they please"
VIII Draw S25 Per Diem.
The chemists viii draw So per day
each while they are engaged in solving
I
office it was explained that a decision
in regard 10 the Two cases referred "a
| the board was hardly expected FOR q
month or more Even granting the FIVE
scientists put in only three weeks actual
| time on the Investigations, the decision
viii cost Uncle Sam between $1,000 and
/ 5000, in the nelghborhood of what that
! great champion of pare food, DR. Wiley
draws for q whole years work
/ But these are lofty problems. handled
| by lofty men, and the price comes higG
officials explain. however. that these
appeals viii not be every day AFFAIRS
and that the Presidents board viii only
handle appeals where there Is concert
I ed demand by an entire class of man
! ufacUurers, and concerning chemicals
and ingredients about which there has
always been more or less dispute as C
whether they are harmful 10 health.
/ The individual eases, the rulings as
/ to this article and that article Offered
/ for sale viii still be up 10 DR.. Wiley
! as the supreme power The sClenu1t
| board Will sit in judgment only IN ci.Se!
! where scientists disagree among them
! selves. There are possibly tWenJy-hF'
1 To- fifty chemicals and ingredients o
/ this class which may come up IN du'
time, 81 is said.
Disagree Over Sulphur.
Thus, scientists have always disa
greed as 20 the merits OF sulphur SOM
hold up their hand in horror whel
/ shown anything preserved with sui
| phur; others are inclined to T5cOmmen,
it as a breakfast food. Therefore, whel
the jelly manufacturers and dried frui
/ packers kicked on Dr. Wiley's declsien
the board of experts was named and W 4
settle this and similar questions one
for all.
/ The members will each probably CO In
dividual work in their own laboratories
end convel.e III Baltimore or Washing
ton for III. adjustment Of their opinions
and the rendering of their bills az s.
per
4 The personnel OF the hoard is: Presi
dent, Ira RemseH, Of johns HOplln
University. Prof. Russell III. CIittendeH
of Yale: DR.. John II. Long, Of tn
Northwestern University; Dr. AlonZo i
Taylor, OF the University OF California
and DR. G. A. Herter of the College o
physicians and Surgeons.
Secretary Wilson is authority Tor tn
statement that the board viii not eithe
! replace DR.. Wiley or belittle him in hi
position as head of the che mical burea
( of the department