260 AXXUAI^ REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tered by most of the defendants in these cases, tlie result bein*]:, as an- 

 ticipated, that the public has been advised by consequent publicity 

 of tlie dan<rer<)us condition of its milk su])ply and has been brought 

 to realize the Mriieiit necessity for a str-onii' niunicii)al control thereof. 



The cases against shipments of fish involved for the most part 

 canned salmon which contained some fish that were decomposed 

 before they were canned. This project, begun in the spring of 1919, 

 occupied the attention of the regulatory force of the bureau to a 

 greater extent than any other. Much of the salmon involved had at 

 one time or another been in the possession of the Army. All parcels 

 that proved objectionable were permitted to be distributed only after 

 the packers had eliminated the objectionable portions. To accom- 

 ]dish this the top of each can was cut off by a specially constructed 

 machine so as to permit thorough examination of the contents. All 

 doubtful salmon was sent to the dump or the fertilizer factory, or 

 Avas usetl as fish food at hatcheries. Such good salmon as remained 

 was recanned or resealed with new tops, resterilized, and then re- 

 examined by the bureau's agents. 



Action was also taken against shipments of canned " blue-fin tuna," 

 "striped tuna." and bonita labeled to create the impression that the 

 cans contained the " Avhite meat," which is obtained from a different 

 species. These cases are awaiting judicial determination. 



The cases against shellfish involved the charge of adulteration with 

 water. Announcement was made of the weights which are repre- 

 sentative of properly filled cans of minced razor clams and minced 

 hardshell clams. 



The project which occupied the bureau more than any other 

 except the salmon w^ork was the inspection of ripe olives for the pur- 

 pose of removing from the channels of trade those that were spoiled 

 and might therefore harbor the Bacillus hotulinus. a micro- 

 organism producing a virulent toxin. Two lots containing this or- 

 ganism were located and promptly seized. No cases are on record of 

 poisoning by green olives in brine, so-called " Queen " olives. As it 

 was quite impossible, with the bureau's limited force, to locate and 

 inspect the hundreds of small lots of olives scattered about the whole 

 countr}^ on grocers' shelves, the cooperation of State and municipal 

 officials was enlisted to inspect and prevent distribution of any lots 

 which were in the least degree suspicious. At the same time the 

 attempt was made to induce the packers to have all olives sterilized 

 at low temperatures returned to their plants in California for the 

 purpose of removing all that showed evidence of decomposition and 

 of resterilizing the rest at high temperatures. Most of the packers 

 cooperated. With the cooperation, therefore, of State and municipal 

 officials and of the trade itself it was possible to afford the public a 

 degree of protection that the limited personnel of the bureau and 

 the limitations of the law itself would not have permitted. Since that 

 time the industry, in cooperation with the State authorities of Cali- 

 fornia, has emploj-ed competent scientists, and is taking such action 

 as will render a recurrence of fatalities extremely unlikely. 



The high price of sugar led to an increase in the use of saccharin 

 wdiich was quite extensive in certain localities, but much less exten- 

 sive in interstate commerce. Action was taken against foodstuffs 

 containing saccharin, notably various sirups, as well as so-called con- 



