60 ANNUAL KKl'OUT UK THE. Off. Doc, 



same fee question will reciuire additional consideration through a 

 case stated in some court before its final meaning can be construed 

 and accepted. The result is problematical. 



LEGAL, AND CHEMICAL POINTS IN PROSECUTIONS. 



In food, milk, liquor and similar prosecutions there is an intimate 

 connection between the legal and chemical questions arising through 

 the enforcement of the Dairy and Food Laws. Public officials, law- 

 yers and chemists are encompassed by many difficult and serious 

 problems, and the novel defenses that are constantly being offered 

 by astute attorneys for the escape of defendants. The ban placed 

 ujion the use of preservatives or antiseptics in Pennsylvania food 

 and drink supplies resulted in a number of hard fought legal bat- 

 tles, but in every instance the Dairy and Food Commissioner brought 

 the cases to a successful termination, not a single case tried in Court 

 having been lost. Some of these cases, notably such as were based 

 upon the illegal use of sulphites in fresh meat, as well as various 

 preservatives in milk, apple-butter, brandy, etc., demanded that the 

 best scientific and medical authorities should give their testimony 

 in behalf of the Commonwealth, showing both the dangerous char- 

 acter and bad effects of the use of such unlawful adulterants, as 

 was demonstrated by the practical w'ork and personal observations 

 of the learned gentlemen called to testify. Although such court 

 trials were rendered very costly, the precedent established and the 

 moral effect obtained amply compensated the State for the increased 

 expenditure. With more definite and distinct language in the stat- 

 utes, much of the difficulty in securing convictions might have been 

 avoided. 



FAR-REACHING EFFECTS OF PROSECUTIONS. 



The effects of such victories against adulterations are far-reach- 

 ing and cannot be otherwise than conducive to legitimate commerce 

 and for the public good. Where health and life are at stake, the 

 question of cost is of only secondary consideration, and as the aver- 

 age citizen is too much engrossed in obtaining sustenance for tomor- 

 row to stop to avenge himself on account of the spurious food of 

 today, the Commonwealth is deserving of our sj^ecial gratitude. In 

 what better way could the State spend money than to protect the 

 people from insiduous poisons and adulterated articles of food and 

 drink? Above these considerations lies the great moral question 

 of the right of any man to imi^eril, even in the least degree, the 

 health or lives of the people. No branch of the State Government 

 could possibly be brought into closer touch with the household and 

 family circle. 



ARTIFICIAL COLORING OF BUTTER. 



The scientific investigations regarding the use of artificial color- 

 ing matter in butter which have been under way for several months 

 past may at least partially change the general sentiment now pre- 

 vailing relative to this subject. The deep, yellow shade now so com- 

 mon in butter may soon be displaced by a color more nearly ap- 

 proaching that of the natural product of the average well-kept dairy 

 cow. Numerous scientific authorities throughout the United States 



