Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-14

y IDESPREAD and centuat ntereS In pure ood
Y \ legislation has brought about in the United States, not
NV only the enactment of many new laws, but has also
caused the revamping and rejuvenation of earlier laws
that had been allowed to fall into disrepute and had
become practically dead statutes. In 1905 only twenty-five states
and territories were doing anything like effective work along the
line of fight for pure foods, drugs, medicines and liquors At present
forty states and territories in the United States are up and working
Systematically and with well defined rules. Besides, public sentiment
has been so far aroused that Hawaii. the Philippine islands and
Porto Rico have more or less extensive and fairly strict laws relating
to the purity and wholesomeness of food. The forty does not include
states Or territories that have passed pure food laws u have made
no appropriation for enforcement machinery. OF these there are
eleven, with three territories in the number, which come under the
operation of the federal law. OF the eight states that are Tagging
three have laws responsive to public sentiment, but failed to make
appropriations.
In the states where enforcement is attempted in anything like
a thorough manner, as in Nebraska, for instance, appropriations are
being gradually increased. with more inspectors and better field
work. Dyes, chemicals and preservatives in food are especially
tabooed, but the new laws are broad enough to prohibit misbrandtng
of packages as well as the use of deleterious or poisonous ingredi-
ents' and they reach out after drugs liquors and paints al well s
food stuffs. National and state cooperation in this very important
work is today effective throughout the country, practically.
Your Uncle Samuel, having determined that his family and kin
folk ought to have good food, get the worth of their money in
quality and quantity, and be a carefully protected as possible from
dangerous decoctions' goes aoout te carrying ut o MS aetermna
ton with vim and vigor. To this end he has established at different
points twenty-one chemical laboratories. and Omaha has one of
these. 1t is under the charge of Mr.. S. H. Ross, located on the
fourth floor of the federal building, and is probably the most com
plete of any outside the very large laboratories at New York, Phna-
delphia and Boston. The laboratory room here is admirably suited
to it's purpose, and in a space of 24x36 there has been arranged a
diversity of apparatus calculated to quickly and certainly expose the
ingredients of food stuffs and of liquids. New York has the largest
laboratory, Chicago stands second. but among the smaller labora-
tories in size and force employed the Omaha outfit is about as COM
plete as can be found anywhere. Compactly placed and lighted with
the ideal light, from the north, the laboratory equipment consists
of three main tables. extraction table, polariscope table, hood, mume
furnace. trturation table, sample table, centnfuge table, apparatus
case, drain racks, balance table, microscope cabinet and refrigerator.
The furniture is quarter-sawed oak, with brass trimmings through
out. The laboratory tables have brass tops, with sink and water
connections at each end. and numerous connections for gas. air
blast and suction and electrical connections for heat and power pur-
poses. Convenient drawers and closets take up the space beneath
the tables. Take the hood shown in the illustration, for example. 1t
is provided with a twelveinch tile connection through the roof, for
proper ventilation and to take of poisonous and corrosive fumes,
while in the hood itself are located various steam connections, steam
tables, steam baths, etc.
The bureau of chemistry, of which the Omaha inspection
laboratory is a part. Is charged with the preparation of the data on
which the execution of the food and drug act is based. This includes