New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-03
AS TO OUR ICE
Even "Maine," Reputed Best
"NaturaI," Is Unreliable.


reafora entering 1lpon description of the
treatment to which science deems it neces-
gary TO subject even the best water before
II can he considered safe for use in artl-
fetal ice makng-a treatment which VIII
he shown to be- as characterized, drastic
il NAV he we'll to give one more practical
illustration Of the absolute truth OF the
contentious that water does not always
purify itself in freezing, as ii Is popuiariy
supposed to do: that it is not only the ice
from the Hudson River that is open to sus-
uicion. and that bacteria are not the only
menace TO health to be found in the natural
product.
There is a general impression that
streams lakes and ponds remote from the
more thick1y settled areas are likely to es-
cape not only infection but pollution: ana
il is probably to this that the widespread
belief that Names natural ice product ls
above suspicion, whatever doubts may be
entertained of the purity of that from the
Hudson. is attributable. Not infrequenty.
it is said, advantage has been taken by
INSCRIPTIONS dealers Of that belief, and
much ice not cut in prohibitions strong
hold has maSqueraded Maine ice.
But. alas. even that standard has fallen
Uncle Sam has himself torn it down. Be
sides exercising through his alert Depart
menJ of Agriculture a keen supervision
over everything in tie way of foods every
where in the United States that enters into
Interstate trade, he has the District Of
| Columbia under his especial care, and-it
is proba ble-is able, having a freer hand
there to do more effective sleuthing in his
own bailiwick than in places where the
state spreads its shield over certain of the
delinquents, those fer example, whose trade
does not extend beyond its borders.
! Be this as it may. some time during the
summer of 1909 the Department of Agricult-
ure collected samples of IAN article of
! food known as ice"-to quote the phrase
! ology of the Board OF Food and Drug In
! spection, an appurtenance OF the said de
/ partment-'sold and offered for sale in
quantities. in the city of Washington.
These samples were ''analyzed by the Blu
reau of Chemistry; and it appeared from
! the findings of the analyst and report
/ thereon that the product was adultera ted
within the meaning of the food and drug
act the defendant-the seller at
! fcrded opportunity TO be heard.
LAS il appeared after the hearing that the
said sales had been made in violation of
! the act the Secretary of Agriculture re-
/ ported the facts TO the Attorney General
/ with a statement OF the evidence upon
/ which TO base a prosecution. In due course
| a criminal information was filed against
/ the defendant in the police court of the
. DlStiiti ~ 'iuiiI'ifi tlldl SING the dbON =
sales and alleging that the product was
/ adulterated. in that ii contained an added
poisonous and deieterinus ingredient and
/ consisted wholly or in part OF a filthy, de-
/ composed aud putrid animal and vegetable
substance"
IN the spring OF the present wear the de-
I PENDANT concern entered n plea of guilty,
and the court imposed upon it a fine of
S150"
The ice described was q natural product
and harvested in the State of Maine
It's fair TO say that such cases may be
infrequent. None the less, one is quite
enough TO diSprove the truth of the ada ee
that water ptrifies itself in freezine''-to
controVert any claims, however bolstered
up, TO it's scientific correctness