The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-15
Has Opposed Frauds.

oAS So1SlS VII oSNoAAs VI ~
he has offended.
Has Opposed Frauds.
9TH he has lone by opposing the
bleaching of flour, by which inferior
grades would be '%doctored,' SO as to De
sold as fine grade; by objecting to the
artificial 'greening OF AIMED vegeta-
bles by means of copper salts; by In
sugar and prune Juice shall not be sold
as whisky; by requiring that the pat
ent medicine manufacturers shall tell
the truth on the labels; in fact, he has
offended in hat he has brought the
people of this country to a full realiza-
and adulteration that exists, or did e1-
list. in the food product industries Of
the country.
Possibly DIR. Wiley ma rave over
stated or overemphasized the toxicity
of some Of the personalities that have
been used in foods, but if he erred, he
did so in the interest of the public's
health instead of to the benefit of the
dishonest manufacturers pocketbook.
While this may be a lleinous offense in
tine eyes Of h interests affected, the
American people will entertain another
opinion. AS one paper, in speaking OF
tho anners who are anxious to have
the ban removed from b%enzoate of soda
says: They would like to market stale
meat. decayed fruit. and half-cooked
%provender. And If they can turn the
public off the scent of these by keeping
our thoughts IN the preservattve in
stead of on the stuff preserved. they
will soon De paying high dividends"
at is to be hoped that DIR. Wiley will
! be in no way discouraged and will re-
| main at his post and continue to hew
To the line. He is a government Off
| cial of a type that happily is becoming
! more mon of those men who
appreciate that they represent the
public and that they are expected to
look after the interests of the public and
not the interests of any class. He has
exposed fraud connected with patent
medicines and with the pharrnaceu-
teal business; with fruit and food cam
J ming interests, and to him more than to
any other individual or body must the
credit be given for the national food
and drugs act.
Or. Wiley Cordially Hated.
No wonder lie is SO cordially hated
by those who heretofore fattened at the
expense Of public health and well-be-
ing. But the American people are with
| DIR. Wiley and emphatically approve OF
his cork.
The case against b%enzoate OF soda.
from the standpoint of the man in the
street. has been we'll summed up by
Federal Judge Anderson. In a suit
brought by some manufacturers to en-
1 JolII Viz q "a AASoASSA "a 80
diana from enforcing that portion OF
the pure foo law relating to the use
| of this chemical: Il am impressed with
the proposition that this stuff, ben
zoate of soda, is put in there for reas-
ons that make it's prohibition reason
able and prOpe to cover up careless
methods of manufacture. Dirt and
insanitary conditions can be concealed
by putting this stuff in. 1t is not nee
essary to put it In II II materials are
properly handled. II its use conceals
the fact that proper methods have not
been used, IA rule OF the state board OF
health prohibiting its use is reason
able.
Source Of eenzoio Acid.
There is some conflict Of opinion as
to the proportion of the b%enzoate OF
soda now being used In this country for
~preservative purposes. that is prepared
from the urine of cattle. n the
amount which is prepared from coal
tar. An interesting statement on this
question was made by DR.. Wiley at the
time OF the hearings before the COM
mittee on interstate and foreign COM
merce Of congress. He said:
"The German benZoid acid imported
into the United States, as stated on
page 30 of the United states Dis
pensatory.' is prepared from the urine
of cattle and horses by boiling the cal
cium %hippurate with hydrochloric acid,
1t is white. his a fine ]uster,
and is said to be Very pure, but some
times has a slight urinous odor, indi-
cative of its origin.
Il do not know" continued DR.. Wiley,
what proportion Of the benzoic acid
used in our catsups is imported from
Germany. 1t Is we'll known that Ger
many leads ali other countries in the
manufacture OF chemical products, and
presumably large quantities. II not all
OF the benzoic acid used in our catsups
is imported from hat country. In sc
far as l know. none Of this particular
kind of benzoic acid is used in foods
Say Ues 10 Decreasing.