The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-27
|REMSEN BOARD IS HANDICAPPED Benzoate of Soda Is Ap
 proved. PURE FOOD MEETING ACIs Delegates Warmly Oppose the
 Findings. Speaker Accuses the Government of Licensing "the Sale of Medicat-
 cd Foot Fit Only for
 the Sewer"

Denver, Colo, Aug. 2e-President toosevelt's famous Remsen referee board of consulting scientific experts~ was endorsed by the convention of the Association of State and National Feod and Dairy Departments today. After fight in which the term ..medicatefi saFpage was used. the association ap- proved of the use of benzoate of soda as food preservative.
 The resolution. adopted by a vote of 57 to 42 follows:
 That this association endorses the report of the referee board of consult Ing scientific experts appointed by secretary of Agriculture Wilson, at the direction of President Roosevelt, upon products"
 The delegation from the United states department of agriculture voted Yes. Secretary Wilson was an ats tentive spectator. but was not a dele- gate
 A committee headed by pr. Fioyd w. Robinson of Lansing. Mich, which had been appointed to "investigates, the Remsen board, previously had res ported adversely to the boards find- ings. declaring benzoate promoted the practice of concealing unsanifary methods" and calling upon President Taft to institute another investigation ''on broader lines"
 Remsen Causes stir.
 The debate began following an ad- dress by pr. Ira Remsen of BaItimore. pr. Russell H. Chfttenden of New Haven, Conn; pr. John Long, of Evanston. H., and Dr.. Christian IT. Horter. of New York City. who, as members of the referee boards, told how their experiments had been made
  Chicago, New York an1 New Haven, which brought them to the conclusion that the chemical, when administered In small quantities in the daily diet. was harmless.
 Dr. Charles A.. L. Reed, of Cincinnati. quickly took the opposite view. The recommendation to the eov- ernment that benzoate of soda must be prrpaEEy nsed." said he. -pnfs fis governnszht in the position of licensing medicated stuff fit only for the sewers The experiments carried on by the board. l. have reason to know, were left in large measure to subordi- mates. The subjects were healthy young athletes and as a matter of fact while the various squads at Chicago New York and New Haven were taking the benzoate. they were being stuffed with all kinds of food from heavy syrups and roasts down to sausages ana pickles. The report attributes no abnormality to benzoate, while the experiments were going on, but I find on reviewing the report that there were abnormalities. Tn the Chicago squad. I find several of the young men were depressed.
 Ridicules Experts' Report.
 ":tn the New Haven squad, I find stomach troubles of one young man was attributed to cold weather and fn R1 nrlr worthy that cold weather and harl work should have has these effects rather than the chemical"
 Dr. Remsen, in replying, said: T construe these remarks as &C., cusations of incompetent and defec- tive laboratory methods on our part which. in all good humor, we certain ly deny"
 The association adopted the foliow- ing resolutions:
 That more drastic laws relative to labelling of oleomargarine be passed by Congress.
 That Congress be asked not to res duce the tax on colored e1eomargarine
 That the association eliminate any discussion of what is whiskey" pend- ing a settlement of that question at Washington.
 The association will adjourn tomor- row after the election of officers.
 George L. Flanders of Albany, N. Y.. is considered as probable the next president to succeed J. c. Emery of Wisconsin.