REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 203 



the postal laws, the traffic could not wholly be suppressed by Federal 

 action nor the goods in the hands of local dealers in many sections 

 of the country destroyed. The situation was laid before State and 

 municipal officials who instituted many prosecutions and seizures 

 with the result that through this joint action this fraudulent traffic 

 was broken up. 



In cooperation with the food and drug commissioner of Texas, the 

 cause of contamination of certain wells in Texas, the water of which 

 is widely distributed, was determined. When the results were laid 

 before the local authorities steps were taken to remedy the situation. 

 Similar action has been taken m the case of other spas. 



The cooperation in the sanitary control of the milk supply of small 

 cities described in the report for last year has been extended in Illi- 

 nois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and in New England. It is 

 proposed to repeat this work year after year, extending ,it each year 

 to new territory. In some localities bad conditions were found, due 

 in the main to insufficient cooling and careless handling. Perhaps 

 the best result of this work has been that it stimulated some of the . 

 local authorities to take up similar work independently so that defi- 

 nite permanent improvement of the milk supply of a number of cities 

 has resulted. The cooperative work on the control of the shipment 

 of decomposed eggs described in the report of last year has been ex- 

 tended to cover much of the territory in which shipments originate so 

 that eggs are now candled before shipment far more than formerly 

 and the spoiled eggs destroyed or fed to poultry and stock. At the 

 same time information given to local officials has helped them to curb 

 local traffic in eggs rejected in candling. 



The joint committee on definitions and standards has considered a 

 large number of products. Based upon its recommendations the fol- 

 lowing food inspection decisions have been issued : No. 160, Gluten 

 Products and "Diabetic" Food; No. 161, Maple Products; No. 162, 

 Egg Noodles and Plain Noodles ; No. 165, Cacao Products. 



Importations. — The analyses and inspections made in the control 

 of the importation of foods and drugs have been tabulated in Table I. 

 Owing to the unusual trade conditions, while the quantity of imports 

 has been reduced, the variety has not; and there has been such a varia- 

 tion in a single class of products that it has been found necessary to 

 make a great many more examinations of a single importation than 

 were formerly required. This situation is particularly reflected in the 

 quality of the crude drugs and spices received. Prices have beeu 

 unusually high and the temptation to offer spurious or adulterated 

 articles correspondingly great. The quality of senna leaves, cinchona 

 products, ipecac, and strophanthus was often poor and sometimes a 

 completely spurious article has been offered. The inability to procure 

 certain spices from the usual sources has resulted in the introduction 

 from new sources of new types, some of which were adulterated or 

 spurious. Especial difficulty was encountered with coriander, fennel, 

 celery, anise, cumin, and Chinese and Indian mustard. The poison- 

 ous leaves of Coriaria myrti folia were found in marjoram leaves, 

 Origanum marjorana. Owing to the increase of the bureau force 

 of microscopists the control of crude drugs and spices is becoming 

 more effective. Worthy of special mention is the continuation of the 

 exclusion from New England of spoiled Canadian milk and 



72412°— age 1916 14 



