The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-04-06

Inc circumstances Htleno1nB the IS
suing of b new :order r usuaa II
not remarkable. The order was issu.
ed on March 8 and placed In circula
ttonSMsnch A.. h was Ngneds by Geo
h.. coqHe1yon. Oscar 81 Ssraus and Jas.
WILSON. who at the time, as heads OF
the Agriculture, respectively, were de-
signated in the pure food law tt frame
the regulations.
OF the three men, two were to re-
tire from Office the mex day. and az
tually retired before the scope of their
order became known. It is being
pointed out now a sense of propriety
might have suggested that the incom-
ing administration should be left free
to decide this important question.
The American public does not know
yet of the order hat was promulgat-
ed. and every indication is that some
one will come in for much criticism
when the full meaning of the order
is appreciated.
Not only does DR.. Wiley believe the
government is making a grave error
In permitting the use of a preserver
in meats, but many of the leading
chemists of the country, including
Prof. Charles H. laval, chemist for
the Pennsylvania state dairy and food
division.
The most important feature of the
order in question is yet to be told.
There is language in the order not
justified by the referees report. The
report says that benzoate of soda in
small quantities, specified as one-half
of n gram per day, is not injurious
to health.
The order of the three cabinet Of
icers declares that no objection will
be raised to the use of benzoate of
soda, without placing any limitation
upon the quantity, and provides only
that the presence and quantity of the
drug shall be shown upon the label.
Heretofore the government regula-
ton. was in effect, that no meat or
meat God should contain any sub
stance which lessened its wholesome
ness. o any preventative except com
mon salt, wood smoke, vinegar, pure
sugar and %saltpeter. The new regula-
tion reads:
The meat inspection regulations
have been amended so as to permit
the addition OF benzoate OF soda to
meat or meat-food products which are
placed in containers Oh packages to
which are securely affixed officially
approved labels, plainly showing the
produce n amount OF this p~reserva-
tive"
OF the ruling in favNr of the peel
poShCAo Sotu.
1.-The government should not allow
the use of sodium benzoate In the
preserving OF meats 1t Is bad in prin
ciple. 1t is unfair to the public. The
experiments conducted by the referee
board we're made upon healthy per-
sons and did not clear away the
doubts as % the danger Of using this
preventative.
According to their own report,
when large quantities Of sodium BEN
zoate were administered the board
found slight notifications in certain
physiological processes, the exact sig
nffcance of which is not known. These
yer on healthy persons.
1t Is fair to assume, therefore, hat
if the bars are entirely taken down
and benzoate of soda is used in all
kinds Of food, including meats, the de-
effect will be marked.
THE process of using benzoic acid
in preparing meat is an Indication
that we are going back 5000 years,
for benzoin or its products has not
Ised in preservation of flesh
the Egyptians stopped embaln-
Ing their dead"