Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

ed for many weeks yet because Of the
fact that the Secretary OF Agrlculture,
with the knowledge of members OF tne
Remsen board. has referred the report
to several other chemists, who VIII cneck
up the boards Investigations and verify
the accuracy of every detail WniIe ne
definite statement is made on the speciai
reasons why this work has been ordered.
it is believed that a checking up OF the
sulphur report carefully will prevent any
criticism similar to that which FOL
lowed the making Of the Remsen
boards report on benzoate OF soda.
was conferred largely on the fact that
some investigations made BY the late
DR.. Charles A. Herter. one Of the leading
members Of the board. were claimed to be
incomplete. and that instead Of expert.
menting with the use Of benzoate in food
and drinks containing acids, like tomato
soup. lemonade and cider. the expert
ments were confined too largely to non
acid-bear1ng products, like milk. Ben
zoate Of soda produces more harmful Ell
fects. it has been claimed. when used IN
an acid-bearing product like cider than
when used in milk. DIR. Herter looked
after what was considered the most I'M
portant part Of the work of investigating
the benzoate problem for the Remsen
board. His conclusions were checked up
later by DR.. Lucas, one of his assistants.
DR.. Lucas claimed that many OF the
conclusions were wrong, and that the IN
vestigations were incomplete. The publ,
cation of his criticism of the original
Remsen board report created furore
and left the work open to attacks. IT Is
to get the opinion of a number of leading
chemists outside of the influence OF both
the government bureau OF chemistry ana
the Remsen board, therefore, that the
Secretary of Agriculture has invited a
rechecking OF the boards sulphur report
by a selected group of independent chem
lists.
As predicted last summer. tho board is
expected to recommend that the use OF
sulphur be permitted only in very linn
tied quantities; in fact. in far less
quantity than has been permitted here
tofore under the federal regulations
The use of sulphur in foods has been
at the bottom Of a pure food contro-
versy which has continued for many
years. Seven years ago the government
made an extended investigation of the
use OF sulphur in foods and the influence
of sulphurous acid on health. and former
Chief Chemist Harvey w. Wiley. his as
sistant, DR.. w. D. Bigelow: DR.. r. c.
Weber and others reported that the use
of sulphur in foods and wines is objec-
tionable and results in injury to digestion
and health. The government chemists at
that time did not recommend any sudden
and revolutionary changes in methods OF
manufacture Of foods in which sulphur
had been used, but suggested further in
vestigations, pending which DR.. Wiley
joined his associates in signing food in
spection decision which permitted a re-
stricted amount of sulphur in food prod
ucts, provided the amount was clearly
marked on the label and no food and
drugs guarantee clause was used. 1t was
thought that the Remsen board inVesti-
cation of the quantity would take much
less time than six years, and that the
controversial question in pure food reEu-
1.fi before
now.
The sulphur decision will have partic-
ular interest TO people on the Pacific
coast. where sulphur fumes are used ex-
tensively in the preparation of dried and
evaporated fruits. SulphurOus acid IL
also used in the manufacture of molasses
and in many technical operations In the
preparation of various food products.
Wine casks are sterilized and sweetened
by the Use OF sulphur fumes. The reason
for sulplluring evaporated peaches, april
cots. apples or pears Is to produce
clear, yellow color in the fruit, which
makes it command a better price on the
market than it does when dried naturally
in tho sun. The sulphuring also conceals
decayed portions of the fruit which have
been overlooked in trimming, prevents
fermentation and protects the fruit from
flies when it is drying. Sulphuring Is
also practiced after the fruit has passed
from the driers to the packers, VINO
sometimes practice excessive sulphur
ing so that the moisture content OF the
fruit may bes increased easily and fruit
given added weight. In both the prep
aration of fruits and in the manufacture
of wines the use of sulphuring has been
opposed bitterly by many health authori-
ties, and it Is expected that the report
of the Remsen board will greatly lessen
its use Further Investigations by the
United States bureau of chemistry may
be made to develop information showing
that the use of sulphur is unnecessary,
and that food can be prepared better
without the chemical than by the use OF
the sulphuring process now practiced.
X
Idle laws are worse than no laws at
ali. Their lack of enforcement is a
menace to all laws
Sanitary Law which it is desired to
enforce. and instead OF
GH1oIceu1eAI. siren h e n n & the
hand of the administrator they act as
deterrent to efficiency.
This is the opinion of DR.. w. {. Rucker,
assistant surgeon general OF the united
States public health service. DR.. Ruck-
crs views were given upon the adminis-
,ration of public health laws. but many
public officials will be willing to let them
apply to all laws which are poorly en-
forced. Speaking Of the factors upon
which the efficiency of public health ad-
ninistration depends. DR. Rucker says:
Zone of the most useful things Wnlch
could be done in furthering the cause OF
public health would be a revision or the
sanitary law, and the repeal of laws
which are impractical of administration,
or which, if administered, would defeat
the purpose for which they were enacted.
It may be argued that this would be a
tearing down rather than an upbuilding
process. and that in repeating these de-
fective laws, nothing would be placed in
their stead.
I'm the great mass Of sanitary legfsla-
ton at present to be found on our statute
books there is one noticeable omission
Few of the states have an efficient law
for the collection of morbidity statistics.
We have been marvelously illogical with
regard to our vital statistics. We have
collected data upon births, marriages and
deaths: none of which conditions is par
ticularly dangerous to the public health,
and have almost entirely lost sight of the
sick man, who is the point from which
most human diseases are disseminated.
"Once a person Is dead his dangerous
ness is lost, and SO far as practical pub
lie health work is concerned he is an al
most negligible factor It is the living
carrier of disease which is dangerous.
Morbidity reports. particularly of the
communicable diseases show the location
of cases which constitute foci from which
disease may be spread to the well The
collection of morbidity reports thus
makes 1t possible to know where to take
the proper precautions for the protection
of persons who may be exposed to a
given disease, and therefore acts as a
,l,,11 10 frr. "