74 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



of food which are only too frequently used in nearly every bouse 

 hold, have no legal rightsj and the mere labelling would guarantee 

 no immunity against prosecution. 



Pure goods properly labelled, have a legal status in every state, 

 and the Commonwealth will not be arbitrary, nor too technical or 

 scientific in its definitions of what constitutes an illegal adulteration; 

 but, as already intimated, base and illegal compounds will not 

 be tolerated if discovered in the markets of Pennsylvania. The 

 legitimate manufacturer usually deprecates the sale and use of any 

 questionable food commodity, and advocates an honest label; one 

 which gives all who may be concerned a correct and fair idea of 

 the true character of the food product offered, and leaving the pur- 

 chase and use of the article itself to the discretion and judgment 

 of the possible patron. 



EFFECTS OF HARMFUL FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



Ill order to practically demonstrate the harmfulness of certain 

 chemicals and food preservatives which are in common use, the 

 Inter-National Stewards' Association, through its official chemist. 

 Prof. Eugene Gerard, experimented upon various animals, with the 

 following results: Two shoats were fed exactly at the same time 

 and under the same conditions, except that the food of one was 

 pure and that of the other contained some of the added coloring- 

 matter contained in many articles of food. They started the same, 

 but in a short period of time the pig eating artificially colored feed 

 weighed only 85 pounds, as compared with the other weighing 145 

 pounds. 



Two dogs received similar treatment, excepting that in the one 

 case, coloring matter and chemical preservatives were included in 

 his dietary, the same as are to be found in many articles prepared for 

 human consumption. The dog fed pure food is well and abnormally 

 fat, while the other is a perfect type of a dyspeptic in general ap- 

 pearance and scarcely able to exist. The same results were pro- 

 duced with similar experiments upon other animals, thus again prov- 

 ing that artificial colors and chemical preservatives are harmful. 

 Since they offer no value in compensation, Prof. Gerard very properly 

 demands to know why the American people should continue to take 

 the risk of imperiling health and life by permitting their use. 



At a recent exhibition of dogs which had been subjected to the 

 experimentation above described, the agents for the Society for 

 the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals threatened to interfere be- 

 cause of their pitiable condition produced by the impure foods; but 

 as the demonstration was intended purely for the education and 

 good of the public, generally, no arrests were made. 



SALE OF MAPLE SYRUP. 



The analyses of many samples of maple syrup made during the 

 past year proves that illegal brands are fast becoming a rarity. 

 While it is a fact that certain firms continue in business, their 

 former arrogance no longer prevails. The imitation or adulterated 

 syrups produced by them are now being sold for what they are, 

 rather than under fancy, misleading labels, decorated with maple 

 leaves, etc. This change is praiseworthy. 



