Nogales international., 1929-08-30
An Anti-Vitan1in Tariff Bill
(By A. w. Morrill, Ph. d.

Is Congress elected for the purpose of deciding
what common food products shall eat and when
each shall be available to us? Should the avail
ability Of foods especially recommended by dieticians
account Of richness in vitamns be restricted by
law?
The tariff bill as passed by the House of Repre-
sentatves provides rate of cents pound on fresh
tomatoes which is prohibtive as far as the average
consumer is concerned The present import duty is
one-half cent pound for fresh tomatoes Even 1-2
cents pound would be practically prohbitive since
an increase OF one cent pound would be at least
twice as much as the average grower in Mexico has
realized as net profit for his tomato crop produced
for export to the United States during the past few
years. Other vegetables which would be similarly
effected by the prohibtive practically prohibitive
rates written into the Hawley Tariff Bill are green
peas green peppers, eggplant and string beans The
increases which have been proposed would add it is
believed the average from 10 to Is cents pound
for several months each year to the retail price of
fresh tomatoes throughout the United States This
would be greatly increased in the southern and west
ern states which could not be supplied from Florida
either on account of the poor shipping quality of
Florida tomatoes, account of the Federal Mediter
ranean fruit fly quarantine, or combination of the
two. Such increase in the retail price Of tomatoes
would restrict their to the wealthy classes and
deprive the average consumer Of this popular product
for long periods each year. .
Any legislation of whatever form which would
unJustlfiably deprive the poulation of the United
States OF such essential food product as fresh tom
atoes, Or in any way limit the availability of such
product deserves to be strongly condemned by every
organization in the country and every individual in
terested in public health
For brief summary of the relation between
tomatoes and public health the following extracts
are quoted from circular issued by the United
State Department of Agriculture, prepared by DR.. D.
g. Jones, Senior Chemist in Charge Of Protein Inves
tlgatlon Laboratory:
Lack of sufficient vitamins in the diet of animals
is soon followed by serious consequences young ami
mails will fail to grow normally and adults will rapid
ly decline In weight and develop certain characteris-
tic affections known as deficiency diseases
Young animals on diet devoid of Vitamin A soon
stop growing and lose weight. Their vitality be-
comes lowered and they less able to resist disease
and infection, particularly of the respiratory tract
Tomatoes contain it in abundance Alb
sence of Vitamn in the diet causes beriberi in man.
and poyneurtis in fowls It is also necessary for the
maintenance of life and health at all ages lack of
1t promptly results in loss of appetite and arrest of
growth, which is followed by various functional dis
orders and death Roots and tubers as class
are good sources of and it is especially abundant in
tomatoes ..... Vitamin C: This vitamin is some
times known as the 'ant-scurvy vitamin because a
lack OF 1t IN the & dlet causes scurvy Among the
best sources OF Vitamin the following may be men
TONED: lemons, oranges, tomatoes, cabbage lettuce
spinach, green beans and peas and turnips The
WIDE distribution of vtanins in natural food stuffs
makes it very probable that the vtamn requirements
OF the average person are fully met by we'll chosen
diet Which includes plenty of milk eggs fruit tom
atoes and green, leafy vegetables. :. Foods in
winter usually contain less vitamns than during the
other seasons. Vitamins should be sought
In the garden in the market, and not in the drug
store.
Following the extended discussion by DR.. Jones
from which the foregoing brief extract is made a
table is presented showing the relative value of long
list OF food stuffs as Of vitamins While Dr.
Jones advises that the classification as regards the
vitamn content Of the different products should not
be taken too literally it is of interest to know that no
edible vegetable product is given higher rank than
tomatoes on account of vtamin content. Spinach
lettuce cabbage and tomatoes are given equal rank n
the list for vitamns A, B, and c. although lettuce has
the added advantage of being source of vitamin 3.
the ant-sterility vitamn. Green peas while slightly
below tomatoes in rank as sources of vitamins A. B
with lettuce among the sources Of vitamin B. Apples
bananas grape fruit grape juice, orange Juice, ber
ries, peaches and other fruits and vegetables other
than the three named are given a decidedly lower
rank regards vitamin content than tomatoes Milk