El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-23

| of handling. This is a matter of oh
| vious interest and practical Importance
| to fruit growers all over the United
| States.
! When apples are stored, some vari-
| cites, under certain conditions, develop
what is known as --scald'-that is to
| say, they turn brown in spots. Some
times the discoloration spreads all over
the fruit 1t is skin disease. due to
a fungus. but that is all anybody knows
about it, If the cause can be ascer-
| tanned, a remedy will soon be found.
To cite another example, peaches, on
| coming out of cold storage, sometimes
| rot Immediately, so as TO be unstable.
| Why? Nobody knows. But the ex-
| perts Of the chemistry bureau are con-
| fident that they will find out, and,
when they have done so, they will fur
| nish cure.
Spices and Cereals.
Among other things, they have de-
vised new methods of determining the
| purity of spices, cereals, and starches
! by the use of the microscope. They are
studying things so widely apart as
| cattle foods. insecticides and fungicides.
! the milling and baking qualities of
grains, possible uses for the wastes Of
various trades, and impurities in the at
iAOoP1iCAC VI SCnOOAS railroad cars.
A special inquiry has been made in re-
gard to surgical dressings, gauzes, Hga-
lures, etc., to ascertain how germ-free
such goods are, as supplied by manu-
, factUrers for use by physicians
. 1t Is trying to find out the exact com
position of medicinal drugs Unfor-
tunately this branch of chemical science
is very backward, and the bureau finds
itself obliged to devise new methods
of analysis and new tests.
1t proposes to establish standards of
purity for drugs@when official stand
ards are not already furnished by the
Pharmacopeia. Incidentally, it Is work.
ing on cod-liver oils and beeswax, and
is trying to determine the influence Of
certain poisonous plants on the health
of bees.
1t is necessary continually 10 keep on
devising new tests to determine aduIter-
ations in food products and drugs, be-
cause the manufacturers keep busy de-
vising fresh and ingenious methods of
Disgusting such specifications. The
bureau is constantly detecting cheats of
the kind, but there are always some
representing the latest Developments
in the art of falsification) which it is
unable to put a finger on.
Bottled Water Supply.
One item Of interest in the work of
the bureau is the watching OF the
bottled water supply. There is wide
spread popular delusion to the effect
that water purchased in bottles for
drinking purposes is certain to be pure
AS matter OF fact much of il is less
safe to drink than average hydranr
water. Even when it does come from
good springs (Which is by no means al
ways the case). 1T is liable to be put up
for market under unclean conditions.
One lot recently seized by the bureau
had been bottled in a stable. In an
other instance, not long ago. seizure
was made of large quantity Of what
is probably the most widely used
bottled water in this country, because
it was found to be heavily loaded with
putrefactive germs.
Poisonous substances in articles of
common use are a subject of grave at
tention-for example, cocaine and caf-
fein, used as ingredients Of soda syrup
And a curious form of adulteration,
which the bureau is trying TO stop. is
the pumping of oysters for market
by exposing them to the action of fresh
water on floats.
This process disorganizes them. and
renders them rapid prey to bacteria;
and it often happens that the stream in
which they are fioated is infected with
city sewage, thus exposing the con-
sumner to risk of typhoid. But the alb
sorption of large quantities Of fresh
water by the bivalves, to give them
false appearance of fairness. is too much
like inducing a cow to take a big drink
before selling the animal by weight.
elders and Wines.
The laboratory at Charlottesville, Va.
is making a study OF the microscopic
plants bacteria and fungD which pro-
duce flavors in elders and wines. They
feed on the sugars and other substances
in such fluids. and break them up into
alcohol, acids, and other products
which have more or less agreeable
flavors and odors.
II follows, therefore. that the quality
OF the wine or cider. or other fermented
fruit juice, depends upon the species
of microbes which breed in them Ac-
cordingly the laboratory at Charlottes-
VILE is making pure cultures" of the
most desirable ones, and has already be-
gun to distribute some of them among
cider makers.
Speaking in rough way. the bust
ness of the bureau is 70 study questions
of agricultural chemistry, and TO make
such chemical Investigations as may be
referred to it by any of the departments
of the government. People are con-
stantly sending in samples OF foods.
water. drugs soils, etc, with requests
for analyses, but Prof. Wiley and his
staff have no time TO attend to such
private matters
When a group. of manufacturers rep
resenting an industry asks a favor OF
the kind. the case is different. and the
bureau is glad to help. As for foods
and drugs, they are frequently bought
in open market and tested for purity;
but the bulk of such work is done by
a corps of 40 inspectors, who keep a
watch on factories and take samples
for examination
Departments Cooperate.
The secretary of agriculture is auth
orized by law TO inspect all imported
food products and beverages-the &C
tual work being done by the bureau OF
chemistry In this business the treas
ury helps by securing samples OF such
invoices as may be suspected of being
adulterated. misbranded, or containing
Injurious substances If anything or the
kind is found unsatisfactory, the i'm
norter is obliged TO reship the goods
ont of the country; and, If he does NOT
do this within 90 days, they are de-