The Washington times., 1913-08-23
OUR BUNCoMBE PURE FOOD LAW.

III
converted into protection for fraud and bulwar
for fakers quite as often as it is safeguard to tn
public.
| That fact has lately been dawning on the peopl
who know most about the problems of pure foods an
drugs. The law passed under the slogan, 'Le
the label tell 1t has been prostituted to the vciou
purpose to let the label lie and that is just wha
the LABEL in effect if not literally does altogether to
many times.
Guaranteed under the pure food and drugs &C
serial number 4-ll-44" is the familiar formula to
seen on all manner of nostrums and food prepare
tions. What does that to the average puI
chaser?
Go and ask the first ten women or ten men yo
see what they think 1t means. From composite o
their vague explanations you will learn that they hav
assumed that that legend means that the Government
knows what is in that contaner has found it sood
wholesome, it is food or has decided if il is med
cine that it is useful for the purpose of curin
the troubles for which its manufacturers recommen
it. The average person assumes that that guarante
label means that the Government has been right Oh
the job, watching the stuff concocted, and after max
ing that il is good and desirable has put its labe
on as a certificate.
We may smile at such creduity; but is it unreason
able?
Before the pure food law was passed, the meat in
spection law written into the statutes That Law
was, after fashion, the model on which the food Law
was framed. The meat inspection law, however, &C
tually does make its label mean what says and a!
it seems to say. ~. S. inspected and passed" on
side of meat in butchers cooler means just what
says-that piece was inspected in killing and fount
good, and labeled because the inspecting Office
KNEW it was good.
If it is possible to insure that meats shah have
actual, honest individual, personal inspection, i
should be vastly easier and less expensive to do a.
much for preparations of food and medicine. These
latter are prepared by processes and formulas The
processes and formulas should be known; standards
should be established by law, fixing amounts and pro
portions of certain dangerous substances that must
be exceeded In the consideration of the pure fooc
act by Congress there long discussion of thi:
question of fixing absolute standards, based on the
best scientific knowledge, and 1t was defeated
though Congress learned that it was really the one
safe, effective way to get the results desired 1t was
generally understood at the time that before long
the provisions for standards would be added to the
law, so that it might be made a really effective
measure.
The law as it stands today does not require the
manufacturer to place the guarantee label his
goods But most of them do, because it gives theiI
products a standing in the eyes of the public tha
they do not deserve.
That label means simply that the manufactures
guarantees to protect the subsidiary dealer agans
expense of prosecution in the goods seizec
and attacked by the Government under the pure
food law! That is all. 1t is no guarantee of quality
1t is not Government guarantee, but the manu-
facturers guarantee against expense and annoyance
in case of prosecution .y the Government.
Dr. Wiley was always insiStent that the law mus
be strengthened by the establishment of standards
DR.. Alsberg, the new chief Of the Bureau of Chemis
try, takes exactly the same position. He has beer
discussing the subject in addresses and writings, anc
standing of the subject, which most certainly il
needs.
The pure food is administered under the De
partment of Agriculture and it is known that the re
sponsible chiefs of that department are determined
to make fight for legislation looking to the estab
lishment of standards. Many States have ALREADY
passed such legislation, and decidedly in advance
of the Federal Government in the actual protection
of the public health. There is a good deal of de
mand for better cooperation between States anc
the National Government in such matters as this
and the States often criticised for backwardness
They are not to be criticised in this case They or
at least, the progresSves among them, are in ad
vance of the National Government and the latter
has need to get about perfccting this law or it will
be positive drag and clog on real, effective effort
for the protection of public health.