Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-02
newman ADVISES
READING LABELS
State Food Commissioner Says They
Are Surest Means OF Procur.
ing Pure Goods.

Speaking on the contamination of
foodstuffs in their handling and prep
aration John B. Newman, assistant
state food commissioner for the state
of Illinois, yesterday told members of
the pure food and household economics
department of the Rock Island Wom-
ans club many things that were nez
and interesting and helpful to them.
He began his address with brief his
tory of the contamination of food and
it's adulteration, which has been prac-
ticed since the early centuries. In the
time of Moses laws were enacted to
safeguard the handling of foodstuffs
and to prevent adulteration. In the
early times it was necessary to pass
laws to protect -four, the proper mixing
of butter, the manufacture of ale, etc
Not until after the close of the Civil
war were pure food laws enacted in
this country and not until 1897 did ILL
nois adopt pure food laws.
Mr.. Newman spoke of the necessity
of careful reading of labels on all pack
ages and declared it was a crime and
sinful waste of hard earned money
for housewives to order foodstuffs by
phone without any knowledge of what
they are procuring. The state pure
food commission has succeeded in max
ing it mandatory for all adulterated
articles of food to be so labeled and
it is up to the housewife to see that
such articles of food do not come into
her house. This can be avoided by the
careful reading of labels. He spoke at
some length of the materials that are
most frequently used in the adultera-
ton of food speaking especially of the
wide use of saccharine as a substitute
for sugar-a use that is prohibited by
law but which is often skilfully con-
cealed. He told of the laws that have
/ been enacted to compel the proper,
sanitary handling of foods, of the con-
dition in which every factory where
foods are manufactured must be kept,
of the health of the people there en-
ployed, etc. He laid particular stress
upon the latter condition-that of the
| health of the employees. 1t is through
| the people that handle food in it's prep
aration that much of the contamination
/ is traced. He believes that a certifi-
! cate of health from the family physi-
clan is the surest means of keeping
/ healthy employees in factories. Per-
| sons who have suffered typhoid fever
or are fever carriers he considers the
most harmful sources of contamina-
/ tion-placing those so afflicted next
/ to those suffering with syphilis, tuber-
culOsis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, etc,
come next in order. Mr.. Newman with
Mr.. Lewis, state food inspector, have
been investigating cases of illness
among certain employees in the city
that were reported to them by mem
bers of the pure food department, and
he reported yesterday that the cases
are not what was suspected
J Mr.. Newman spoke Of the proper
| handling of milk. eggs, etc, telling the
best means that should be used to
avoid contamination. He is an advo-
cate of the establishment of county
! tuberculosis sanitoria and advised
! strongly for the voting of funds to
maintain them. Mr. Newman touched
briefly on the various laws that have
been passed regulating the display OF
| goods sold for food purposes.