454 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the analytical reports of the branch food and drug inspection labora- 

 tories on ollicial samples are referred to the specified laboratories for 

 checking, and the preliminary selection of cases is made, the same 

 being then prepared for the consideration of the Chief of the Bureau. 

 In addition to their work in the examination of samples and the 

 prepai-ation of cases, these laboratories are conducting many special 

 investigations to secure information necessary to the enforcement of 

 the food and drugs act. 



Several classes of food products are referred to other laboratories 

 in the Bureau of Chemistry for the expert opinion of specialists on 

 the questions involved. Among these may be especially mentioned 

 the Sugar Laboratory, which examines all samples of sugar and sac- 

 charine foods; the Oil, Fat, and Wax Laboratory, which devotes its 

 attention especially to the examination of those products; the Micro- 

 chemical and the Bacteriological laboratories, in which all examina- 

 tions are made of this nature ; and the Leather and Paper Laboratory, 

 to which samples of turpentine are referred. Such special reports 

 are made to the laboratory which has charge of the preparation of 

 the case, as just defined. 



WORK or THE INSPECTION FORCE. 



Changes in the force. — The general operations of the inspection 

 corps along the lines laid down at the conclusion of the last fiscal 

 year were seriously interrupted by the development of important 

 special investigations and the amount of time spent by inspectors as 

 witnesses in cases which had been referred for prosecution. There 

 has been no increase in the number of inspectors, but a few changes 

 have been made in the personnel of the force, due to four resigna- 

 tions and one death during the past year. Necessary appointments 

 have been made, however, to fill these vacancies, and the quota of 

 forty inspectors is now complete. Two inspectors are stationed at 

 St. Louis and Philadelphia in order to handle to better advantage the 

 volume of work which has constantly demanded attention at these 

 trade centers. New stations have also been established at Cleveland, 

 Ohio, and Springfield, Mass., necessitating the withdrawal of one 

 inspector from Cincinnati and the abandonment of the station at 

 Albany, N. Y. This work is in charge of W. G. Campbell, chief 

 inspector. 



Collection of samples. — The experience gained during the two 

 years since the inception of the inspection work has shown that the 

 most effective way of maintaining supervision over the interstate 

 traffic in food and drug products is to visit the establishments where 

 such commodities are prepared, to note the conveyance of the several 

 classes of goods by the different carrier lines engaged in interstate 

 commerce, and to collect specimens of both manufactured and crude 

 products for analysis. A resume of the routine work performed 

 shows that a total of over 11,500 .samples were thus obtained. This 

 includes official samples, which may serve as the basis for prosecu- 

 tion of manufacturers or shippers, provided there is indicated any 

 violation of the law, and also such samples as were collected for infor- 

 mation or research which do not meet the legal requirements of offi- 

 cial samples, but, nevertheless, serve the useful purpose of disclosing 

 the nature of goods and the tendencies of their producers to meet or 



