Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-26
MAN WHO SELLS DEsTRoYERs
THAT DO NOT DESTROY
FACES PROSECUTION.
RECENT DISCOVERIES SHOW
INsEcTlcipE LAW WARRANTED
Department Deals LenientIy With the
First observation-disclosures Germ De-
stroyers and Insect Killers Found To
Be Devoid Of Power. Claimed For
Thorn.

Especial Correspondence

!
! Washington. July 26.-Uncle Sam is
busy hunting down the manufacturers
and sellers of fake insecticides and
preparations supposed to be for the
which on investigation are found adul-
terated, misbranded or otherwise not up
to the requirements of the law. In ad-
! dition to the continuous campaign
against the food dopers and adulterat-
ors, the department Of agriculture is
devoting pretty close attention to the
! man who sells moth destroyers that do
not destroy and alleged germ destroyers
and insect killers that are 30 far from
being fatal in effect that the supposed
victims merely laugh at them.
Some Of the preparations on whose
trail the department is camping are de-
fective, some inert, some misbranded,
some adulterated, some short In weight
or calculated to mislead or deceive the
purchaser. Notices Of judgment in the
T. courts in considerable number are be-
ginning to be published by the depart
ment Of agriculture.
Department Discharges Fakes.
The courts are not dealing with the
infractors of the insecticide law with
any special harshness. In fact, some
of the courts are extremely lenient. The
officials Of the department. however.
think that enough Is being done to
discourage the takers in the insecticide
business and to promote better meth
DDS in the manufacture and sale Of such
preparations.
e. 70 Tot IN cd
insect destroyers. moth representatives.
and the like, on scanning some OF the
notices Of judgment. Here, for instance
is case from the district court for
the southern district Of New York. in
which chemical company shipped into
illinois quantity Of Cedar Of Le-
banon and Camphor for the Prevention
Of Moths" It was alleged in the label
that this substance with the biblical
name had been used for centuries with
absolute safety and that the combina-
alton of cedar with pure gum camphor
made 1t most suitable for the preser-
walton of carpets, rugs, fure and articles
subject to destruction by moths and In
sects The government analysis showed
it contained no gum camphor but con-
sisted wholly Of chips Of cedar. It was
the common red cedar at that and
many miles removed from the true
cedar Of Lebanon. The company plead
ed guilty to the charge and the court
suspended sentence In another case.
the same company sold q preparation
alleged to be q China camphor COM
pound as a remedy against moths and
insects The preparation instead OF be-
ing camphor was found to be naphtha-
lene and was under weight at that
Here again. a plea Of guilty was entered
and the court suspended sentence.
Third offsnse, Nominal Fine.
In q third case against this same
chemical company. there was q ship
ment Of q so-called Extra Refined
Camphorated Flake Compound" This
was alleged to keep moths and insects
out Of clothing, furniture and the like.
II was found to be, not camphor. but
naphthalene which does not destroy
moths or 1nsecta In this case. the
company entered a plea OF guilty and
paid the costs and $25 dne.
In another case, q New Orleans con-
Germ shipped Parts green out In pack
ages Which were found TO be under
weight. The company escaped by put
ting up a bond to comply with tho law
A Detroit concern shipped out sub
stance known as "Zenoleum" which
consisted in part Of water. The court
ordered the goods destroyed. A Cleve-
land company was fined $50 and costs
for shipping out adulterated and mis-
branded arsenate Of lead. Another
Cleveland concern was fined $25 and
costs for sending out substance it
called ely Knocker." which was al
legged to be misbranded, and also other
insecticides not up to the laws re-
auirements 1t shipped a so-called dip
and disinfectant, so labeled as to 1ndi-
cate the secretary of agriculture had
approved It, whereas he had not. More
! over part of the stuff was found 70 be
water.
Inssetieids Law Warranted.
The department has given out notice
of Judgment under the insecticide law
thus far in twenty-five cases. The
abuses discovered make it clear the
enactment Of the insecticide measure
was fully warranted. It is the dispo-
sition OF the department and appar-
emily Of the courts to begin with frst
offenders leniently but where there are
repeated offenses to prosecute vigor-
ously.