Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-07-27
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The Drug and Food Inspection Board,
headed by DR.. Wiley, began hearings
on the question of the use of alum In
the manufacture of food articles,
chiefly in pickles and baking powders.
DR.. J. Nj. Anders of the Medico-
Chirurgical College of Philadelphia ap-
peared for the association of those
manufacturers who do not use chem
lcal preServatives He said that alum
being an astringent was injurious to
the organs of the body when taken In
quantities sufficient for the preserva-
ton of pickles. Dr. Julius Eichburg
OF Cincinnati, appearing for the Amer
lean Health League, composed Of dis
interested laymen, said that persons
with sensitive mucous membranes
would be poisoned by the use of foods
containing alum. DIR. Haines of Chi
eago, for the American Baking Powder
Association, said he had become con-
WINGED that the use of alum in the
minute qualities contained in ordinary
raised bread was harmless. The same
position was takeSs by Prof. Pond OF
the Pennsylvania State College and
DR.. Smith of New York. Prof Hare
Of the Jefferson Medical College said
he had never known any i'll effects
from the use of alum baking powders.
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The Internal Revenue Bureau has
dropped from its rolls seventeen in
spectors and four agents employed in
the denatured alcohol section of the
service because no longer needed. Elk
pectations of the Department of Ag-
riculture that the denatured article
would rapidly supplant gasoline as a
motive power for small farm engines
are said not to have been realized,
first, because the engines in use are
not easily adapted to alcohol and Sec
ond, owing to the high cost of produc-
ing the alcohol by present methods.
Nevertheless, progress in the use Of
denatured alcohol has been made, not
ably in the manufacture of celluloid,
ether, gunpowder, for fuel and light
and as a solvent for paints and var
nishes. The total production in this
country last year was 100000 gal
loas of the denatured article as com
pared with S,S21,45I gallons the year
before that.
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The employees of the various execu-
tive departments have been much in
terested in the report that the Civil
Service Commission has decided to ask
for the power to supervise promotions
and reductions as well as appoint
ments. While existing rules require
the keeping of an efficiency record its
character and weight have not been
officially defined Now it is proposed
to have a definite and minute record
kept and copies submitted weekly to
the head of the department concerned
and to the commission. Any employee
not satisfied with his rating may APP
peal first to his superior and then to
the commission.
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Diplomatic circles understand that
Henry L. Wilson of Washington, min
lister to Belgium, is to be appointed
ambassador to Mexico, in place OF
David E. Thompson, who had ex-
pressed his intention of resigning.
Charles P. Bryan, minister to Portu-
gal, will at the same time be trans
ferred to Belgium, and the Portuguese
post filled by Consul General Gaffney,
now at Dresden.
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The excess of government disburse-
rents over receipts for the fiscal year
IS $93,173, 900. The customs receipts
for the year will fall but little short
of 1900 100000 and the internal rev.
enue receipts will be about $245,000,'
900. The gain in customs receipts
over last year will be about $15,0OO,-
900, with a loss of about $3,OOO,0OO
In internal revenue.
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Surgeon Wright of the navy reports
In the New York Medical Journal that
all of the ten men who have been I'M
der the mercury treatment for tuber'
culosis have been either cured or
greatly improved, while of the two
who did not take the treatment, one
is falling and one is improving but
slowly.
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The Ethelwold, a small steamer ly.
ing near a firearms warehouse at New
York, was seized by order of Collector
Loeb at that port on suspicion Of be-
ing implicated in a filibustering expo
dition against the present Government
of Hayti. The order was issued on in
structions from Washington.
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President Taft has reopened the long
dispute about what whisky is in the
eye of the law, and for two days lis
tened to the arguments of counsel for
the straight, rectified and imitation
interests. Joseph H. Choate appeared
for the manufacturers ana Jonn u.
Carlisle for the distillers.
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A development Of the annual con-
ference OF State and territorial health
officers with the United States public
health and marine hospital service was
that rabies frequently are contracted
from tba hitas Of gkunkG wolves
and other wild animals"
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Uncle Sam now owns and controls
what is supposed to be the most effec-
tive torpedo in the world. 1t is the
invention Of an expert in the bureau
of ordnance in the United States navy.
Authorities on the subject state that
the invention is complete and practical
and adds immeasurably to the fighting
powers of the new ships.
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