The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-10-26

A NJ ON c
MEDICS

tude Of the department Of agriculture
on the pure food question and It's re-
lense OF the food-dopers Is indicative
OF spirit OF condemnation on the
part OF the medical profession whleh
may easily find expression at the
polls. Secretary Wilson, the yenera-
Bile head Of the department of agricul
ture, has long been identified with the
"standpat" element. dating back 10 the
time OF the late Speaker Henderson
and the late Senator Allison, and his
stand'pattism has been evidenced IN
late years by his staunch champion
ship Of chemical presentations for
food in the form Of ben2oate Of soda
That the medical profession Is oppos-
ed TO this stand is becoming more eyi.
dent every day. Scarcely a day passes
that some medical society or assotia
tion, local, state or national does ror
go on record against the rulings and
practices that permit the continued
doping of foods with preservatiyes
which the doctors believe to be harm
ful and unnecessary where the foods
are wholesome and are prepared with
cleanliness and care
II is true that the medical prcfes-
sion rarely busles itself with political
matters, but no other profession is IN
such touch with the homes Of the peO-
pie and their inmates, and the dissati-
faction OF the physicians with the fail
ure of the administration to put
through the bill for a department Of
health, the demand for which has been
largely stimulated by the practical
notification OF the pure food law, has
been giving the politicians seeking an
endorsement at the polls no little con
cern.
A complication Of the action taken
at various meetings Of medical asso-
Citations recently shows a pronounced
hostility to the use of chemical pre-
servatives and strong support OF III.
H. w. Wiley in his opposition to them
The Mississippi Valley Medical asso.
ciation at Detroit ON September 18th,
protested vigorously against the adul.
teration of food and drink and de-
manded the strengthening Of the pure
food act. The medical society of the
Missouri Valley at Council Bluffs. IN
September | mqualifiedly condemne |
the use of chemical preseryatives in
lood ON the ground that their use en-
abled manufacturers to utilize inferior
and improper materials.
In Indiana, where ine state authori.
ties are fighting the manufacturers
who use benzoate OF soda and who
have so loudly complained of the un-
friendly attitude of the department Of
agriculture. the Indiana State Medical
association. at Fort Wayne, September
20, endorsed and commanded the state
board y, health for " gallant fight
against that preseryatiye. AZ Bay
City Mich. on September 2S, the
Michigan State Medical association
asserted that a concerted attempt Is
being made to bring about the nlllif
cation of the pure food act by the in
terests who would thus be benefited,
and ,ondemned the use of benzostc Of
soda as harmful and unnecessary
where foods are wholesome.
In the asst the American Association
of Ostetricians and Gynecologists, at
Syracuse, ~ Y. September 30, alleged
IN their resolutions that food and drug
authorizations are extensively allied by
the use of chemical preservatives The
academy of OpthamOl0gy end Oto-
l.arynology, meeting at Ciac'nnati On
September 10, asserted that the pure
| food act is being assaile6 and made
almost negatory by the efforts OF the
fond adulterators The Minnesota
state Medical association at Minneap
oils, October Z, asserted that the
chemicals commonly employed for the
preservation Of logd5 are not only de,
leterious in themselves but encourage
the fraudulent Use oG decompDsed raw
material. This association condemned
the liberation by he government ~
benzoate of soda and strongly endors-
ed the position of DR.. Wiley.
The Kentucky Medical association
which met at Lexing' on, September
%, also endorsed without nlaliiica-
tion the attitude Of Dr. Wiley on the
benzoate of soda question ana resi-
firmed its hostility l.. clienaca, rre-
servatives The Medical Association
Of Pennsylvania, possibly the strong
est In the country, a. rs annual con
yention on Oct ), branded the use
in foods of ali chemicals including
benzoate of soda as a perncioas Irac-
tice. and strongly endorsed the l,,si-
ton taken BY D. VILE. The Medical
association of the southwest, which
met at Wichita Kansas. October II,
asserted that the pure food Law is fail
ing of its purpose under its sdminis-
tratlon by the department of agricul-
ture, and specific lily condemned ben
zoate of soda rhe Colorado State
Medical asso iatiDn, possibly having
in mind what nap3creJ at the meet
ing of the food commission assocla.
tion at Denver last year AZ It's meet
| ing at Colorado Springs on October T.
protested againS.' artificial preserra-
tives and called upol congress 10
amend the pure food law so that hui
mahity may be protessed under II.
The resolutions of these societies
are but few OF those which have
been adopted this year bur they inji
cate the wide Dissatisfaction with the
administration Of the pure food law
Contractors Must Wait.