South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-08


are reviewed in the current annual
report OF the bureau OF chemistry,
CEite6 States department of ayr
culture. which says that the acts
chief contributions TO the safety OF
the peoples health have beer ITS
control Of trade in unclean milk.
polluted, decOmpOsed or filthy foods,
AMI protection of foodstufts from
contamination with poisons likely 10
Zoe met in manufacture.
The general effect of the food and
drugs act may best be estimated
says the report by considering its
effect upon food and drug control
ly the states; upon development of
the food anG drug industries and Ivy
the principal abuses that have been
corrected But TO illustrate the
scope OF the work through figures
and facts the report points ont HAT
more than 5000 prosecutions have
been terminated in the courts in the
first decade of the act; that mama
facturers have been cited at hear
ings more than 10000 times; that
many thousands of factory inspec-
tions have been made, and that
more than 10000 shipments of do
nestle or imported food and drugs
have been examined.
Attention to Spoiled Food.
Special attention has been given
to shipments Of polluted or spoiled
food Milk shipped in interstate
commerce and imported from Can
ada has been improved in cleanli-
ness. purity, and the condition OF
sanitation under which produced.
The canning Of decomposed navy
beans has been largely suppressed.
Interstate shipment Of oysters from
I polluted waters has practically ceas-
I ed. Because of cooperation with
state and municipal officials in con
trolling the shipment of bad eggs,
I i, is reported that the quality of
/ eggs reached the large cities is
much improved. other products in
| whose handling and sale improve
| ment has been noted include min
eral water. tomato products, fruit.
I vinegar and gelatin.
/ States Cooperate with Federal Laws.
/ One consequence of the enact
ment Of the food and drugs act was
| to encourage similar legislation in
/ many of the states, the purpose OF
/ which is 20 control local traffic in
| food and drugs which, since no in
! terState commerce is involved. are
not subject to the federal law. For
I example. in 1906. many states had
no feeding stuffs laws a state
| could not prosecute "A manufacture
\ unless he were a citizen of that
state The federal law supplements
/ the state law in this respect and
now most of the states have similar
/ laws.
IN the beginning the confusion
and apparent conflict between local
! ard federal laws and administra-
/ ton Of laws not only made it diff
/ cult for the two sets Of officials to
/ cooperate. but often made il neces-
sary for manufacturers to make spe-
! cial operations fer shipment TO
certain states at extra cost, the eX-
ira cost being passed on 10 the ulti-
mate consumer. This evil has been
/ remedied 10 a considerable extent
by the organization of two agencies
| which in a large measure have re
moved some of the difficulties aris-
ing from the conflict of federal ana
state Jurisdiction. These agencies
are: CD The joint committee on
| definitions and standards; CD, the
office of cooperative state and fed
eral food and drug control.
Development i'm Food Industries.
The food and drugs act was one
! OF the first laws which today would
be classed as laws for the proven
ton of unfair competition. The re-
port says that the suppression OF
I fraud upon the consumer and OF
unfair competition among business
/ rivals are but the two faces OF the
| same coin" In consequence the
actively helping the bureau Of chem
istry 70 enforce the law.
Frequently. the report says the
bureau is appealed 10 by the indus
tries 70 compel the cessation of un-
fair practices and 20 encourage the
sta naturalization Of the products,
when the industry is Incapable by
itself OF bringing about these results
The act is described as one OF the
Influences which have helped 10
draw competitors together into as
ISOLATION like the guilds OF the mid
die ages. although the modern as
sociauons lack the special priv
leges which the ancient guilds Of
ten enjoyed.
Some Of the associations. under
standing the value Of constructive
work. now devote consideraole
money 10 experimental research into
technical problems. Thus IS made
available 10 the small mSnuIactureI
scientific assistance ordinarily be-
/ vond his reach Since the bureau
of chemistry always has regarded
IL as its duty not merely 10 report
violations of the Law brI also e