421 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



material cannot be sold for "Pure White Lead." It means that di- 

 luted pigments and the many diluted colors in oil can no longer be 

 sold in Pennsylvania for the pure and full measure articles, for from 

 now on all painting materials which are manufactured and offered 

 for sale must have clearly stated on the label the net weight or 

 measure of the contents, the true name of the product and the name 

 and address of the manufacturer or importer. 



It is advisable to here call your attention to the fact that the law 

 does not control interstate shipments of paint such as is sold by 

 large mail order houses or retail stores where shipment is made 

 direct to the consumer. When buying paints, therefore, it is well 

 to bear this fact in mind as, no doubt, it would be safer to purchase 

 paints sold in the State by reputable and responsible firms who place 

 the name of their company on the cans and in many cases show the 

 chemical composition of the same. Since the passage of the paint 

 law, it has developed that quite a number of legitimate paint pro- 

 ducts were being sold which had their special and proper place in 

 the trade and which were diluted it extended but which were labeled 

 and sold as pure or full strength articles. This situation is interest- 

 ing as it shows that we were badly in need of a paint law. Many 

 of the manufacturers of these articles have arranged to properly label 

 their goods and have sent many of such labels to the Department for 

 examination. Under the provisions of the act, the Department can- 

 not object to the sale of these half strength or extended paints and 

 colors providing they are properly labeled to show they are extended. 

 A ruling has been made, therefore, that these materials shall be 

 labeled in a plain and conspicious manner as a "Compound," there- 

 fore, when any of you gentlemen go to a supply house to purchase 

 Pure White Lead, Pure Zinc, Pure Colors in Oil, Pure Turpentine and 

 Putty be sure and look for the word "Compound." If you find it 

 on the label you will then know that these materials have been "ex- 

 tended" as the trade call it, with varying amounts of Barytes, 

 China Clay, Calcium Carbonate or some other "extender." As 

 previously explained, these extended materials have their proper use 

 in place of full strength lead, zinc and colors. For example, it is 

 recommended by many expert painters that for an outside white 

 paint a mixture of 75% of white lead and 25% of zinc white be used 

 as such a paint retains its white appearnce longer than if pure white 

 lead were used. In the case of certain colors, it appears that where 

 it is desired to produce a certain shade or tint in a mixed paint, 

 it is more desirable to use an extended color as it is less difficult to 

 thoroughly mix it with the pigment and oil than is the pure fuifl 

 strength color. 



In the case of the many mixed paints the Department can only 

 direct that a full measure be given and that no false claims be made 

 as to the composition. It cannot require that the ingredients be 

 shown on the label, but it can prohibit the use of mineral oil and 

 excessive amounts of water which have frequently been found present 

 in large amounts in some grades of mixed paints. It is not the 

 purpose of the Department to attempt to advise as to what kind of 

 paint or what brand of paint should be used; but when certain paints 

 are being illegally sold we shall not hesitate to notify you to this 

 effect. The question of the proper kinds of paints to be used for 

 the many different uses is a problem for the expert painter. 



