Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-15
WILL CAMPAIGN
AGAINST WILEY
FRIENDS OF PRESERVATIvES
TO FIGHT DOCTOR
HEALTH EXPERTS DECISIONS
CAUSE BITTER FEELING
Bulk Of Millions Involved in Soda
Benzoate Controversy Is Believed
to Be Behind Other Food
Chemicals

WASHINGTON, June 14.-Evidences
continue to multiply that the campaign
against DR.. II. w. Wiley, chemist of the
department of agriculture, and his de-
cisions under the pure food and drugs
act will be prosecuted with increased
vigor during DR.. Wileys absence
abroad.
The war between the friends of chem
ical preservitaVes and the health au-
thorities goes merrily on notwithstand-
ing the Remsen boards report and the
decision of the national food commits
sion on benzoate of soda. The Remsen
boards report fell fiat here because the
questions referred to it were of minor
Importance, relating merely to the ef-
feet of small doses of benzoate of soda
administered to healthy young men,
and not touching on the broader and
more important questions, as far as the
public is concerned, of whether the pre-
servative Is used to render eatable FOODS
which otherwise would be condemned.
1t is recognized generally that al
though millions are involved in the
benzoate of soda controversy, the bulk
of the money is behind other preserva-
tives, especially borax, which is con-
trolled by the borax trust.
Wiley's principal decision under the
food and drugs act, as far as they re-
lated to preservatives, affected benzo-
ate of soda, sulphur, borax and formal
dehyde.
Reverses His Decision
He has been reversed on the first, is
under investigation on the second, bo-
rax is to follow, and formaldehyde is
the only one which seems to nave no
friends. When the friends of preserVa- =
tives are through with Dr. Wiley the
situation promises to be the same as II
was prior to the passage of the food
and drugs act.
To nave the way for the ultimate set
ting aside of the act as far as preserYa-
tives are concerned the public mind is
being prepared to receive decision on
borax, permitting it's use by series OF
what are ostensibly scientific treatises
on the subject of benzoate of soda and
chemical preservatiyes In general, sent
out under the auspices of the Natlonal
Association for the Promotion of Pub
lie Health.
This so-called association takes no
steps to identify itself, and in WASH
ington medical, scientific and sanitary
circles is absolutely unknown. AS far
as can be learned, none of the many
eminent scientists connected with the
government ever have been invited to
ioin it; none of them knows who be-
longs to it or what its objects are.
This is probably due to the fact that
the ASSOCIATION HAS NeihCll lIp oNNlS
make it's membership public, and Its
communications are to that extent an
onymous.
Looks Like one-Man Association
Only one name is known in this con-
nection, and that is that OF IL. l.. Har-
| ris or Fl. H Iangdon, who appears tc
| he one and the same, and the fact that
Mr.. Harris or Mr.. Langdon is an en-
| Move of the borax trust has caused tne
| general belief in government sclehtlnc
| circles that the so-called Association
for the Promotion of Public Health eX-
lists merely in his imagination, ana thal
he comprises its entire membership. In
| consequence no attentloh is palu " LIS
| communications
At the Cosmos club of washington
which is the greatest club of scientists
in the country, and of which DR.. whey
is a distinguished member, 1t is noI
considered "clubby' to discuss the dlt-
| ferent results reached by DR.. Wiley
and the Remsen board on benzoate OF
soda. but the circulation of fake scien-
tific treatises and communications from
fake associations is generally and Vlg-
orously condemned. 1t is pointed oul
that the medical men who oppose chem.
ical preservatives come out boldly ano I
| do so over their own signatures, Whlis
the defenders remain anonymous, ano
that where the manufacturers who dc
NOT use benZoate of soda are adVertls-
ing the fact in every possible manner
those who still cling to it never mention
the fact publicly and use the smallest
and most inconspicuous label possible
While DR.. Wiley has been reversed
on benzoate of soda, and may be or
sulphur and even borax, the opinion a.
the Cosmos club, among his teilow as,
sociates, is that he has still the best o.
the argument.