The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-26
FOOD INSPECTORS
INCREASE VIGILANCE
More Small Shipments to
Examine Since War Has
Started.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. Go
That increased vigilance on the part
ot officials in charge Of the enforce
ment of the Food and Drugs Act is re-
CURED by conditions brought about
by the European war to prevent ship.
Tnent into the United States OF adul-
ioratcd and misbranded foods and
drugs is shown by the report of the
Chief OF the Bureau of Chemistry, just
published. While the volume Of i'm
ported foods and drugs has decreased
since the outbreak OF the war, the va
ricty OF grades has Increased. Like
wise the number of shipments IN pro-
portion to the quantity is larger, for it
Is now necessary for importers to get
from many sources the supplies which
previously could be obtained from ono
place. One importer may bring In
twenty small shipments all obtained lii
different places and of VARYING degrees
of purity where previously he would
have brought in the same quantity in
one shipment of uniform quality. This
makes 1t necessary for the inspectors
to look out for and examine awenty
shipments instead of one.
The high prices prevailing for GER
tain products which can be obtained
only from abroad, particularly spices
and crude drugs, has increased the
temptation to adulterate. According
10 the chief chemists report shipments
of cOriander, fennel, celery, anise, Gu
min, Chinese and Indian mustard,
SIENNA leaves, cinchona, ipecac and
other products were found to be adul-
terated and were denied entry into
this country. Many shipments of med
icines were found to be misbranded.
the labels containing false or fraudu-
lent claims as to the curative powers,
and such shipments were detained un
til the misbranding was corrected.
Among other articles OF food found to
be in violation of the law may be NEIL
toned decomposed tomato pastes ami
products, spoiled sardineS, wormy
olives, olive oil, pepper, macaroni and
beverages. Special attention was CIV
en- TO milk imported from Canada into
the New England states. There was
u marked improvement in the whole
someness of this milk during the year
owing to the exclusion of shipments of
contaminated milk produced under in
sanitary conditions.
Branch laboratories are maintained
by the Bureau of Chemistry at the
principal ports of entry, such as New
York, Boston, New Orleans, Philadel-
phia, San Francisco and many others.
in order that analysis may be maze -.
samples of such shipments of foods
and drugs offered for entry into this
country rs are suspected of being aduI.
terated or misbranded. The inspec-
tors scrutiCizc all invoices of food and
drug products that come to this Coun-
try. The foreign shipper is required
to certify to certain facts regarding his
foods and drugs before a United States
consular officer. and these certificates
are attached to the invoices II the
examination Of the invoices and accom-
panying certificates leads the United
States inspectors to suspect that the
foods or drugs are adulaterated or
misbranded. samples are taken for
analysis and the shipment held until
It has been determined whether the
goods are in violation Of the law.
The import section of the Food and
Drugs Act. in additin to the requ.i {.
mcnts applied to domestic products.
provides that no foods dangerous to
the health of the people Of the Unit
cd States or Of a kind forbidden entry
into or forbidden to b eSOld or restrict
ed in sale in the country in which
they are made or from which they arc
cpo:tedX, or re otherwise falsely la
belcd many respect When goods
offered for import are found to be in
vilatiOn of the law. the importer is
notified and given an opportunity to
be heard before the officers of the de-
paTtment in order that lie may pre-
sent any evidence he desires as 10
why the goods should not be denied
entry into the United States. After
the hearing, if the department is still
of the opinion that the goods are in
vilatiOn of the law because of adulter.
alton. they are refused entry into this
country.