Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-15
DOCTORS OPPOSE "FOOD- DOPING"
New York Medical Society Joins With Others in Pro-
testing Against Harmful Personalities.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Feb. IL

WASHINGTON. d. c., Feb. A.
What we lose in the shuttle" re-
marked old man Greennut, the famous
gambler, when some one cut the cards
behind him, we sometimes pick mp
in the DEAL" whereupOn ne dealt him
self four aces. Thus it is that while
the food dopers have control Of the
machinery for the enforcement of the
yurefoOd lay they can make no head
way in the face face of public opinion.
the element that swept the pure-food
hill through congress are slowly but
surely lining up against those allied to
emasculated il. We regard the mat
ter as closed" wrote Secretary Will
son recently to a delegation Of ply
sicians protesting against the doping
of food with benzoate of soda. But
the doctors do not regard the matter
as closed" by any means, as evil
denced by the resolutions being
adopted by their organizations as fast
as they meet. The most recent is from
the New York State Medical Society.
by far the strongest state society in
the country, which followed the lead
Of the national and other organiza-
tons which have previously denounc-
ed the department of agriculture for
throwing open the doors to chemical
preservatves. At its annual meeting
at Albany on January %, the new
York society adopted resolutions ad-
yocatlng the prohibition on drugs in
preserved foods, the inspection OF
food factories, and a rigid inyestiga-
ticn Of why the administration has
Jailed to enforce the pure food law
On the lines laid down by congress.
Amendment to Act.
The resolutions call for an amend
ment to the pure food act by which
the use of anti-septic drugs in
canned fruits and vegetables and in
all preparatios in from fruits and veg
ctahles for human consumption shall
be prohibited" This, of course, strikes
OF the prepared foods loaded with
benzcate of soda, and includes can
ned" fruits an vegetables which will
annoy The Gamers exceedingly for
they have been busy for some time
explaining that they do not use pre-
servatives. 1t is peculiar that the can
hers do not avail themselves of the
pest means at hand of advertising the
fact that they don't use preservatives
by placing on their labels the legend:
I'VE do not use benzoate of soda or
other chemical preservatives, Such
labels would help deliver the Gamers
from what apears to be unjust sus-
picion.
The New York medical society also
asks for the inspection of the COM
mercial food kitchens Of the United
States by government officials, for
the purpose of insuring the use OF
sound materials, cleanliness of meth
DDS and compliance with the law con-
corning adulterants and the use OF
drug preservatives." Months ago it
was pointed out that IL manufacturers
insisted on doping their food prod
ucts there would come an irresistible
demand fer government inspection OF
fcod-factories. Already petitions are
drifting into congress Like snow-fakes
from all parts of the country praying
ior such government inspection, and
not a few are from Gamers themselves
whose business is suffering from the
latitude now allowed the dopers under
the construction Of the law. The pro-
tests from one medical society after
another against the drugging OF food,
coupled with the petitions and per-
sonal communication being received
BIZ members of congress are reflected
n the bills and resolutions being in
t-oduced and in the restlessness ex-
hibi;ed by those members OF both
houses who feel that in some way the
parties against whom the pure food
law was directed have succeeded In
evading its plain provisions.
The New York resolutions con-
clude: Resolved, that congress be
and is hereby urgently requested TO
institute investigation with reference
10 determine in what additional par
ticulars the food ard drug act as now
construed and enforced fails to az
ford adequate protection to the Amer
icsn people A. the snail boy In
VestiEztor who strcked the hornet, re-
marked The sting Is in the tail.