No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 89 



formaldehyde may ere this, have been restored to its proper channel 

 and use, and will no longer be found in milk or cream, where it inter- 

 feres with digestion and assimilation, to the detriment of the con- 

 sumer, whether one of strong physique, or an invalid or child. 



CONDENSED MILKS AND INVALIDS' POODS. 



At the urgent demand of many physicians and correspondents, 

 Prof. C. B. Cochran, Chief Chemist of the Dairy and Food Commis- 

 sioner, was directed to make a special analytical examination into the 

 composition and quality of the condensed milks and infants' and 

 invalids' foods, which were found on sale in the stores of this 

 State. Physicians were especially interested because they desired 

 more specific information in order that they might more intelli- 

 gently plan the diet of an invalid or infant. The results of these 

 analyses were published in the "Monthly Bulletin'' and later also in 

 pamphlet form to meet the large demand for this report. While 

 there is a marked difference or inequality in the average cost of the 

 numerous brands examined, as compared with the percentages of 

 fat, protein and milk sugar supplied in the respective packages of 

 sweetened, condensed milk, the comparative cost of milk per quarr 

 ranging from 6 to 21 cents, the general results show that the con- 

 densed milks upon our markets are made from milk of fairly good 

 quality. The unsweetened condensed milks cover a greater variety 

 of brands, and the compilation of figures proves interesting reading. 

 \Yith the facts presented in plain figures, the reader and particularly 

 the physician, can readily form his own conclusion as to his wants. 



The fraud which would be most profitable and easily practicable 

 to the manufacturer of condensed milk, according to Prof. Cochran's 

 report, would be the substitution either wholly or in part of skimmed 

 milk for milk containing its full contents of fat; fortunately, as 

 already stated, this form of adulteration is rare, if not almost en- 

 tirely unknown. The main question in the case of many -brands, 

 is that of securing the greatest amount of nutrition in proportion to 

 their cost. 



OLEOMARGARINE LAW ENFORCED. 



The aggressive effort made on the part of the special agents and 

 representatives of the Dairy and Food Commissioner to enforce the 

 requirements of the act of Assembly regulating the manufacture, 

 sale and use of oleomargarine in Pennsylvania resulted in the collec- 

 tion of |10,890.98 in fines and costs, an amount almost double that 

 of any preceding year in the history of the Commission. The work 

 was materially assisted through the reports received from secret 

 agents, private correspondents and others who kept a close sur- 

 veillance in various sections of the State where oleomargarine was 

 likely to be introduced and sold without authority of law. 



Dairymen are especially vigilant and while willing to meet fair- 

 competition, they are unwilling to have competition with unlicensed 

 oleomargarine dealers, or to compete with colored oleomargarine. 

 The unusual large amount collected for violations of the oleomar- 

 garine laws was due to a considerable extent to the fact that certain 

 licensed dealers sold or offered for sale oleomargarine "made or so 

 colored as to resemble or be in imitation of yellow butter," contrary 

 to the act under which they were granted license certificates. 

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