No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 67 



To show the highly excessive amount of this preservative that 

 might possibly be received into the human stomach at a single meal. 

 Prof. Ladd, of North Dakota* reported as follows: 



"In the meat, preserves and corn eaten at a single meal, a person 

 might take as follows: Hamburger steak, 22.5 grains boric acid; 

 canned corn, 16 grains; canned strawberries, 16 grains; total, 54.5 

 grains boric acid." 



Y\'ith fresh, cured and smoked meats more or less extensively 

 dosed with boric acid, the call to repeal the objectional acts of 

 Assembly could not have been otherwise than urgent, and the 

 Legislature, therefore, saw fit and proper to promptly pass a reme- 

 dial measure. As to borax, boracic, benzoic, salicylic acids, sul- 

 phites, saccharin, aniline and coal tar dyes, etc., their use is still 

 too common, as an army of dyspeptics, nervous wrecks, suffering from 

 stomach derangements and other diseases would fully attest if the 

 truth were made clear. Theso drugs and chemicals cannot be other 

 wise regarded than a menace to the health of the strongest person, 

 and those of weaker organisms through their continued use, dis 

 guised in food, must, necessarily, experience positively harmful 

 effects. 



PUBLICATION OF THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



^Yith the sole desire to aid in the curtailment of printing ex- 

 penses, the "Monthly Bulletin" issued regularly from this office, is 

 confined to the briefest possible condensation of the reports of the 

 operations of the Division that will meet the demand of the law 

 requiring its publication. While its resume of the work done affords 

 much thought for serious reflection, the introduction of editorial 

 articles upon the subject of food adulterations and kindred subjects 

 would aid very greatly in the education of the public. 



The list of oleomargarine and renovated butter dealers who have 

 complied with the Pennsylvania laws appears in each issue, and is 

 revised monthly. If a firm or person engages in the sale of either 

 or both of these commodities, and the name of such firm or dealer 

 does not appear in the latest published number of the "Monthly 

 Bulletin," it is safe to assume that the party has not complied with 

 the law, and the Dairy and Food Commissioner, upon complaint, 

 will not only promptly investigate the matter, but will regard the 

 source of his information in strict confidence. 



Numerous manufacturers and jobbers recently appealed to the 

 Commissioner to have their addresses placed upon the regular mail- 

 ing list for twenty-five or more copies, monthly, which they evidently 

 intended to use for advertising purposes, but such requests cannot 

 be complied with, owing to the limited edition which the law author- 

 izes. So long as the quota is not exhausted, a single copy will be 

 mailed monthly to every person interested in dairy and pure food 

 subjects, upon application. 



NEW LAW BULLETIN DISTRIBUTED. 



As three important acts of Assembly relating to the work of the 

 Dairy and Food Commissioner were passed by the Legislature of 

 the present year, and mot witli the approval of Covernor Penny- 

 packer, it was deemed necessary to compile and publish a new 



