Norwich bulletin., 1915-07-02
PROPRIETARY MEDICINES
 SHOW LITTLE MERIT.
State Experiment Station Finds Value
 in Only 20 Out of 13o Samples.

The state of Connecticut, and par ticularly the agricultural experiment station at New Haven, has for many years done useful work in the ex posture and repression of food adul- iteration. The 18th report of the chem ical Iabratory of the station, just is- sued, gives in detail the work of the past year.
 including 1,541 samples. were dis cults, crackers, laxative foods, dia- bette foods, wheat, bran. butter, stor- age eggs, milk, temperance drinks, and vinegar. Seventy-two new analyses of special diabetic foods are reported. thus bringing up to date the stations work on this important and much abused class of foods. The present report, coupled with that of 1913, gives analyses of practically all of the dia- bette foods sold in this country and IS of great value to those physicians who wish to provide accurate dietarie Tor their diabetic patients.
 Among the drug products examined, BIT in number. were bay rum. bella donna plasters, blackberry brandy, malt extract and 130 proprietary medi- ciues. The examination of these pro- prietary medicines takes up over half of the report and should prove of great value to the citizens of this state. The list includes many of the preparations most widely sold and advertised in NOun6CIlCul. 1n6 I6POTl lhde
 possibly 20 of these may be passed as possessing some merit" the remaining
 110 being simple drugs sold under a fancy proprietary name at an extrava- gent price, remedies absolutely worth less for the diseases specified. or reme-
 dies containing habit forming or other
 dangerous drugs. The cold analytical
 data stand in startling contrast with the extravagant claims made for many | of these products.
 A feature of the report of much in- terest is the summary given of the IS | annual inspections made by the sta
 ton. These have included over 25,00O samples of food products, and the data are given in such a way as to show the relative purity of the different foods | when inspections were first begun in l 1896 compared with that found in re- | cent years. The simple foods show an | average increase in purity from 5e to | 90 per cent, while the compound foods, | such as hams, jellies, table sauces, sode
 water syrups, soft drinks, fiavoring ex- tracts, etc, show only a very slight | increase. from 27 to 34 per cent. These ! latter products, however, while gener- | ally no more pure than they were IS years ago, are as rule honestly la beled at the present time. so that the
 consumer has full opportunity oi
 knowing just what he is purchasing. The great change which has taken
 place in food condit.onns in Connecti- cut will be surprising to those who have not kept themselves familiar witt the stations work. To illustrate ground coffee has advanced in purity from g to 100 per cent, cocoa from 5S l to 97, chocolate from 73 to SS, honey from 22 to e6, molaSseS from 6S to 93
 lard from 54 to 90. olive oil from 6i
 to 100, and spices from e5 to 90 pe1
 cent. On the other hand. carbonatet
 beverages fruit juices, soda watel syrups. jams, je1lies, maple syrup flavoring extracts and vinegar show
 but little improvement in purity ovel early inspections.
 An instructive list is given of all thu
 forms of food adulterated which hav'
 been detected in Connecticut, together
 with list of those forms sti1 preva' lent.