Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-08-26

Denver, Aug. 26.-After IL sharp .
| I. and protracted debate, the reso- /:
| !. luton endorsing the findings OF |.
the so-called "Ieemsen Board" .
!. which declared benzoatc of soda, !
| + TO he not harmful when used az !,
!. a preventative. was adopted by !:
the convention of state and ma J;
!. tlonal food and dairy depart
Z ments today by n vote of 81 to A. J:
Denver. Aug. -Benzoate of soda as
the presei'Yative most commonly used
IN manufactured food products was put
on trial before the convention of the
Association of State and National Food
and Dairy departments today. The OPP
posing forces We're the governments
chemical experts. including members OF
the Remsen referee board, who COLI
tended that benzoate was harmless and
some OF the 200 state food commission
ers and agriculturists delegated to the
convention. Secy.g of Agriculture Viii.
son was an interested spectator. Near
him sat Dr. Ira Remsen OF Baltimore,
Nd; DR.. Russell II. Ghittenden of New
Haven, Conn: DR.. John II Long of
Evanston, ILL.,. and DR., Christian II.
Herter of New York City, all members;
of the referee board of consulting
scientific experts" appointed by Pres
ident Roosevelt to settle disputed points
in the federal pure food law. Each
member Of the board present 1esd
papers unfolding their previous 5conclu-
sion made to the government. that ben-
zoate When,used In food In moderate
quantities is harmless.
The position taken by Mr.. Emery and
his followers as announced by them Is
2'if there is any doubt as to the harm
fitness of chemicals In food the public
should have the benefit Of the doubt.
That there is a. doubt is the belief of
many competent scientists"
AS showing that benzoate does not
cover up inferiority. DR.. Long said lie
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 had been
mixed. 1
George L. Flanders, assistant COM
missioner of agriculture Of New York
state, is named as the probable next
president Of the association.
After the convention Secy. Wilson will
make tour of the western states.
GOVERNMENT ATTACKED.
The federal government was accused
of licensing the sale of "medicated food
fit only for the sewer" at the con
vention of the Association of state &
National Food & Dairy Departments
today.
DR.. Charles l.. Reed of Cincinnati,
Ohio, in attacking the famous Remsen
referee board of scientific experts. de-
clared that the board in urging the
government to allow the use of benz
zoate of soda as n food preservatiyc
had ignored the public welfare.
THAT Recommendation to the depart
ment of agriculture benefited only two
classes OF people, asserted DR.. Reed.
These We're the manufacturers of BEN
zoate of soda and the mapufacturers of
food of such character that could not
be sold without being preserved by the
addition of chemical. The public
received no benefit but instead had its
own government licensing food for its
consumption which had to be Inedicat-
ed and which otherwise could be fit on
sly for the sewer.
''Irhe 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 tax 4
ing the samples of henZoate of soda
and the results observed in them would
not apply to the average consumer.
+ Dr. Reeds remarks followed speeches
by members of5the referee board.
A special committee appointed by the
association "to Investigate" the referee
board also reported adversely to its
findings.
DIR. REMsEN,S ADDRESS.
DR.. Ira Remsen of Baltimore. Nd.
chairman of the referee board of con-
sulting scientific experts, said in part
Early in 1903, President Roosevelt
wrote to the presidents of half doz-
en- universities saying that in the adj
ministrationl of the pure food law some
difficulties had arisen and that 1t
seemed desirable to call in the aid of
a group OF scientific men TO pass upon
much disputed matters. AT this meet
ing he asked me to take the chairman
ship of the board. I demurred, and
indeed. said did not want my name
considered. He, however, urged me
to accept, saying, I want you to start
the work. If after 1t is under way you
find 1t takes too much time. or. for
any other reason you wish to give =
up. You can withdraw There was APP
parently nothing left for me to do but
accept, and i did so. The president
then turned over to me the letters he
had received from the universities and
asked me to select the members of the
board, giving me free rein.
'.As a result I submitted to the presi-
dent the names OF Drs. Chittenden.
Long and Taylor The selections We're
at once approved by the president In
the meantime had talked with Secy:
Wilson and since the appointments my
dealings have been directly with the
You understand that the
referee board was to take up only
such questions as should be referred
to 1t by the secretary.
Now in regard to this work on benz
zoate of soda. The referee board was
asked TO determine two points:
81 Whether benzoate of soda in
quantities as are likely to be used Is
or is. not Injurious to health?
of food which benzoate of soda has
been added Is thereby reduced, low
cred, or injuriously affected?
You know the conclusions to which
the board has been led by his work,
with the actual expenninting had
nothing to do. The board had a num-
Der of long meetings In which the
methods to be followed were fully dis
cussed and finally decided upon l at
tended these meetings and took part
in the discussions. During the pro-
gress of the work I kept informed in