■* BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY. 473 



were adjudged illegal. Approximately two-thirds of the G9 hearings 

 held Avere conducted by correspondence. 



Research work on methods of analysis has been conducted along the 

 following lines: Determination of benzoic acid in catsup, separation 

 and identification of capsicum and ginger in ginger ale, determination 

 of sucrose, lactose, and fat in cocoa products, and determination of 

 glycerin in wine. The method for the determination of glycerin in 

 wine, with slight modifications, was applied to the determination of 

 glycerin in vinegar. This study gave satisfactory results and new 

 characteristic ratios which furnish additional means of judging the 

 purity of cider vinegar. 



PHILADELPHIA LABORATORY. 



The inspection of imported products has constituted the principal 

 work of the laboratory, as in previous years. Of the 752 import 

 samples examined, 24 per cent were either adulterated or misbranded, 

 this percentage being practically the same as in 1909. The principal 

 products examined included drugs, spices, condiments, fruit products, 

 and dairy and cereal products. 



The total number of domestic samples examined was considerably 

 less than that reported last year, due partly to the increase in the 

 number of hearings and in court work, and also because the samples 

 examined were of such a character that more time was required in 

 making the analysis. The ratio of illegal (114) to the total number 

 of interstate samples examined (155) gives a wrong impression of the 

 character of the products examined, since a considerable proportion 

 of the illegal samples rejoorted were check analyses on samples found 

 to be adulterated at other laboratories and forwarded for confirmatory 

 examination. 



For some time particular attention has been paid to the examination 

 of imported cheese, with the result that almost all the foreign cheese 

 now received is correctly labeled as to whether it is made from partly 

 skimmed milk or not. When this work was first started a very large 

 proportion of the Italian and Greek cheese, also Edam cheese from 

 Holland, was made from milk which had been partially skimmed, the 

 goods not being labeled to indicate their true character. At the pres- 

 ent time only an occasional shipment is received not properly labeled, 

 and the importers, after having their attention called to the matter, 

 are very willing to cooperate with the Department. The investiga- 

 tions of the character of black and brown mustard seed used in the 

 manufacture of ground mustard revealed the fact that large quanti- 

 ties of wild mustard, or charlock (the so-called Dakota mustard), are 

 being used in the spice mills instead of mustard seed. To the eye this 

 charlock seed resembles very closely the true black and brown mus- 

 tard, but when examined with a hand lens the difference is very evi- 

 dent. As a result of this investigation some of the spice millers are 

 now much more careful as to the character of the seed bought. A 

 systematic examination has also been made of imported fish products 

 which are packed with tomato sauce or fish bouillon, the examination 

 showing that the tomato sauce and bouillon in many instances have a 

 serious corrosive action on the tin, and that the contents of the cans 

 as a result contain quantities of tin, which may be injurious to health. 



