No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 77 



pensers of soda water in numerous parts of Pennsylvania, resulted 

 in the enactment of a special law bearing upon the subject. The 

 first section of the new statute reads as follows: 



"That any person, firm or corporate body who shall 

 by himself, herself or themselves, or by his, her or their 

 agents or servants, manufacture, sell, ship, consign, 

 offer for sale or expose for sale, or have in possession 

 with intent to sell, "any fruit syrup which contains for- 

 maldehyde, sulphurous acid or salicylates, dulcin, glu- 

 cin, beta-napthol, abrastol, asaprol, fluo-rides, fluobo- 

 rates, fluosilicates or other fluorine compounds; also 

 any coal-tar dyes, sulphate of copper, or any other col- 

 oring matter injurious to health, or any preservatives 

 or their compounds injurious to health, shall be deemed 

 guilty of a misdemeanor." 



It is pleasant to report that there is a more general disposition 

 to observe the law than ever before, as is evidenced by the decreased 

 number of suits, the chemists' analytical reports fully substantiat- 

 ing the claim of increased purity in fruit syrups. 



The curb-stone dealer in so-called "soda water" and other soft 

 drinks of questionable composition continues in evidence, but on ac- 

 count of mistaken sympathy, they are too frequently permitted to 

 escape the clutches of the law. This class of offenders will receive 

 a better knowledge of their responsibilities if the traffic in harmful 

 drinks is not stopped. Their pernicious influence is especially bad, 

 since children are the principal patrons of such venders and the 

 smaller shops. 



NATURAL. ACIDS FOUND IN FRUITS. 



Both theory and practice have been advanced on the part of some 

 manufacturers for justifying and excusing the use of chemical 

 preservatives in preserved fruit, etc. These manufacturers went 

 so far as to proclaim to the world that nature was supplying pre- 

 servatives, namely, salicylic acid and benzoic acid in certain fruits 

 in considerable quantities, and that, consequently, there was a valid 

 reason for continuing the practice, though on an enlarged scale. 



During the past year, several of the chemists employed in the 

 laboratories of the Dairy and Food Division, made careful researches 

 into the subject, grapes, berries, including cranberries and other 

 fruit, being subjected to the most careful analytical test for the 

 discovery of the aforesaid acids. While it is true that benzoic acid 

 was located in some fruit, its quantity in all cases was almost infi- 

 nitesimally small. This small amount was further decimated or 

 slightly augmented by the condition of matured or ripened 

 fruit, and the experiments made were consequently of special 

 value since they clearly proved that added benzoic and sali- 

 cylic acid were readily determinable quantities, and that they had 

 no natural right in such manufactured products. The legal status 

 needs no comment, since the courts of the Commonwealth have re- 

 peatedly confirmed the attitude of the Commissioner. The experi- 

 ments will be continued, but there is no indication that the present 

 views upon the use of preservatives need be modified. In other 



