The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-27
SODA ENDORSED AS
fOODPRESFRvATN[
Pure Food Convention Approves
Report of Famous Remsen
Referee Board
Benzoate, in Moderate Quanti-
ties Declared Harmless
After Experiments

DENVER, Aug. 26.-President Roose-
consulting scientific experts. appointed
to settle disputed points in the federal
pure food law, was Endorsed by the
convention of the Association of State
and National Food and Dairy Depart
ments today. After a fight in which the
term indicated garbage was used,
the association approved of the use of
benzoate of soda as a food preservative.
The resolution was adopted by a vote
of 81 to AZ.
Secretary of Agriculture James Will
son was an attentive spectator, but was
not a delegate. Near him sat DIR. Ira
Remsen of Baltimore, Md. DR.. Russell
H. Chittenden of New Haven, Conn.
DR. John H. Long of Evanston, ILL.,. and
DR.. Christian ii. Herter of New York
city all members of the referee board.
Each member of the board present read
| a paper upholdimg their previous report
to the government. that benzoate when
used in food in moderate quantities is
harmless.
OPPOSITION TO PRESERVATIVE
yoicing the sentiment of other OPP
posing states, DR.. j. 5. Crumbine of To-
Deka, KAN, Sdlu the TIME idQ not COlllD
when the people should accept as final
the argument that benzoate of soda
was a harmless preservative. He be-
lieved the resolution should be made
more conservative and thus allow fur
theE study of the subject.
Acommittee which had been appoint
ed to investigate" the Remsen board
previously had reported adversely to
the boards findings. declaring that ben
/ sffha 1T ice Of
cealing insanitary methods" and call
ing upon President Taft to institute
another investigation on broader
lines"
SPICES AND SODA COMPARED
AS showing that benzoate does not
cover up inferiority, DR.. Long said he
had made catsup out of rotten toma-
toes, apples, peaches and bananas. In
one portion was put vinegar and spices
and in another benzoate, and the only
portion which tasted good was that In
/ which vinegar and spices mad oeen
mixed.
| Speaking of the results of expert
ments made by administering guam
/ titles of benzoate of soda into the food
| given to six healthy young men for
periods respectively, Doctor Chitten-
den said that three-tenths of grain
was administered daily TO each subject
/ during the Two uAOttlHS PClAoO- LII NiS
one month experiment each man re-
| ceived per day during the first week
/ six-tenths gram: second week, one
/ gram; third week. two grams; fourth
week, four grams
Surely this administration, when ac-
companied by gain of body weight
| and without loss of the power to di-
gest and absorb the protein and fat of
the daily food, must be taken as evil
/ dence that sodium benzoate in the
doses administered is not seriously det-
rimental to health" said Doctor Chit
! tenden.
REFEREE BOARD OPPOSED
DR.. Charles A. L. Reed of Cincinnati,
| o., said that the referee board in urg
! ing the government to allow the use
| of benzoate of soda as food preserv-
| alive had ignored the public welfare.
THAT recommendation to the depart
| ment of agriculture benefited only two
| classes of people, said Doctor Reed.
These were the manufacturers of ben
Zoate of soda and the manufacturers of
! food Of such character that could not
be sold without being preserved by the
addition of a chemical. The public re-
/ ceived no benefit, but instead had it's
! own government licensing food for it's
consumption which had to be medi-
| Gated and which otherwise would be
fit only for the sewer.
THE referee board experimental
with healthy young men at Chicago.
New York and New Haven Conn, but
all of these young men were stuffed
with great quantities of food while
/ taking the samples of benzoate and
/ the results observed in them would
not apply to the average consumer
APPEALS TO GOVERNMENT
! The following resolution was
adopted:
That more drastic laws relative to the label
I ing of margarine be passed by congress-
That congress be asked to not reduce the tax
on coiored oleomargarine.
That every state be urged to work in har-
That the government institute further inves-
LEGATIONS leading to purer foods.
That the association eliminate from its pro
gram anv discussion Of what is whisky pend-
Ing settlement of that question at Washington
That President Taft. former President Roose-
Welt the secretaries of agriculture. of commerce
and labor and of the treasury, be commended
for their efforts TO perfect the federal pure
food laws.
Nathan Straus of New York city sent
communication, asking the commits
sioners to fight the sale of tubercu-
losis milk.
The association will adjourn tomor-
row after the election of officers
George L. Flanders of Albany, n. Y.
t. con sfdered the next nrOho hya