REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 33 



render this country independent of foreign sources in normal times. 

 In any event, information will be obtained which should be very 

 valuable if the present abnormal conditions persist or recur. 



THE FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. 



Early in 1913 it became apparent that the efficiency of the Bureau 

 of Chemistry in administering the Food and Drugs Act was im- 

 paired seriously by lack of system. The laboratories, both in and 

 out of Washington, were congested with samples collected by inspec- 

 tors. The inspectors, who were responsible only to the chief in- 

 spector in Washington, worked independently of the chemists in the 

 branch laboratories, with resulting loss of efficiency. There was 

 great delay in analyzing samples and in detecting adulterations. 

 It was apparent that the work of the inspectors and of the chemists 

 should be coordinated and more closely supervised. To make the 

 bureau an effective agency in preventing the shipment of adulter- 

 ated and misbranded foods and drugs, complete reorganization was 

 necessary. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS. 



Accordingly, the field service of the bureau was set off from the 

 central organization and divided into three districts, with head- 

 quarters at Washington, Chicago, and San Francisco. A single 

 official, whose duty it is to coordinate the work of the inspectors and 

 the laboratories, was placed in charge of each district. Several 

 small branch laboratories were closed and the research work was 

 concentrated in Washington. The reorganization has effected a ma- 

 terial reduction in the cost of operation and has made possible the 

 accomplishment of substantial results. It has enabled the bureau 

 to concentrate the activities of its 46 inspectors against definite lines 

 of food and drug products. The establishment of inspection dis- 

 tricts, together with the creation in Washington of the Office of State 

 Cooperative Food and Drug Control, has secured the active cooper- 

 ation of State food and drug officials. This cooperation has been an 

 important factor. 



Instead of attempting to deal with food products indiscrimi- 

 nately, the Bureau of Chemistry during the past three years has 

 given special attention to articles in common use, such as eggs, 

 milk, beans, shellfish, citrus fruits, tomato products, canned foods, 

 and cottonseed meal and other feed for animals. As a result of 



