No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 77 



uLtractivo trade uainos. Certain of these preservatives used to pre- 

 pare meats, especially Hamburg steak, pork, sausage, "chopped" 

 meats, fresli roast beef, beef steak, etc., contain a considerable 

 quantity of sulphites which our chemists and medical experts claim 

 are most injurious to health when added to articles of food and 

 drink. 



Coal tar or other objectionable coloring agents are also found by 

 chemists in these chemically prepared meats. 



Some of the dealers who have placed these health destroying pre- 

 servatives in the hands of our well disposed and honest tradesmen, 

 give, it is said, guarantees of purity, and assert that these products 

 comply with the laws of Pennsylvania. They attempt to impress 

 the improper and untruthful claim that these fortifying agents are 

 "Boron Compounds," hence are permitted by the act of April 27, 

 1903. 



The meats, poultry, etc., which are treated with these objectiona- 

 ble drugs and pigments are generally sold at reduced prices, so as 

 make them more attractive to the poorer classes, hence the wage 

 earner, who requires a most nourishing and healthful diet, is slowly, 

 yet surely, undermining his physical powers when he consumes, as a 

 part of his daily fare, these meats ladened, as they are, with in- 

 sidious poison, 



A number of prosecutions of preserved, fresh meats have been 

 started, and our efforts to prevent such outrageous practices will be 

 continued with unabated vigor until the nefarious business ceases, 

 and when the General Assembly again convenes, a measure should 

 be promptly passed which will absolutely prohibit the use of all 

 preservatives on meats, poultr}-, etc., which are sold as fresh. 



OBJECTIONABLE SULPHITES. 



The following paragraphs concerning sulphites are from the pen 

 of Adolph Koenig, M. D., editor "Pennsylvania Medical Journal," 

 Pittsburg, Pa.: 



"There are three kinds of sulphites in common use, viz., Sodium Sulphite, 

 Potassium Sulphite and Mag-nesium Sulphite, all having practically similar 

 properties. 



"The first of these is the one ordinarily used as a. preservative, especially for 

 chopped meats (Hamburg Steak), and sausage. It is chosen in preference to 

 other preservatives for the reason that in addition to its germicidal and an- 

 tiseptic properties, it has the property of freshening the color of meat, and 

 thereby making it more pleasing to the eye, and, consequently, more salable. 



"Sodium Sulphite is described in the United States Pharmacopoeia as 'color- 

 less, transparent, monoclinic prisms, odorless, having a cooling, saline, sul- 

 phurous taste.' 



"The sulphites are rather unstable salts: when exposed to the air they are 

 prone to change into sulphates by the absorption of oxygen. 



