REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Che:sii.stry, 



Washington, D. C, Octoher 15, 1920. 



Sir : I submit herewith the report of the work of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry for the fiscal j^ear ended June 30, 1920. 



Respectfully, 



C. L. Alsberg, 

 Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. E. T. Meredith, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



REPORT OF WORK. 



The struggle to maintain efliciency despite mounting operating 

 costs, rapid turnover of the personnel, and reduction of the force 

 through resignations, for which inadequate salaries alone are re- 

 sponsible, has been the main characteristic of the 3'ear's work. 

 The average salary for chemists is $2,275 per annum, the minimum 

 $1,200, and the maximum $4,500. The average salary for food and 

 drug inspectors is $1,840, the minimum $1,400, and the maximum 

 $2,500. In addition, all employees upon a salary of $2,500 or less 

 receive, by special act of Congress, a bonus of $240 per annum. 



On June 30, 1920, the staif of the bureau consisted of 593 persons, 

 of whom 2G3 were chemists and technically trained men, 42 inspectors, 

 155 clerks, and 133 miscellaneous employees. During the year the 

 bureau lost by resignation, transfer, or death 74 technically trained 

 men, 12 inspectors, and 68 clerks. The total loss Avas 210 persons, 

 which is 35 per cent of the present force, and does not take into 

 account a considerable number of vacancies. Among those who re- 

 signed were the chief of the eastern food and drug inspection dis- 

 trict; the chemist in charge of the color laboratory and his under- 

 study; the chemist in charge of the food research laboratory; the 

 chemist in charge of the ofiice of State and municipal cooperation; 

 the chiefs of the food and drug inspection stations at Denver and 

 Baltimore; the chemist in charge of the plant chemical laboratory; 

 the chief inspector for the central food and drug inspection district; 

 the librarian; the executive in charge of the office of accounts and his 

 understudy ; and the secretary to the chief of the bureau. The chief 

 of the New York station, one of the ablest and most respected chemists 

 in the service, Albert F. Seeker, was lost by death. 



In order to maintain the law enforcement work it has been neces- 

 sary to reduce very materially the constructive research work of the 

 bureau designed to promote efliciency in the food and drug indus- 

 tries and to develop new methods for the discovery and detection 



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