96 AN NT TAT, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



In Massachusetts n number of persons appeared to be doing a 

 thriving- business in "egg-white," "egg-yolk" and "mixed eggs," the 

 purchasers being bakers who had been led to believe that the ma- 

 terial was derived solely from fresh eggs cracked in transit. Later 

 it developed that the stale eggs were sold, and that their offensive 

 odor was completely neutralized by the use of formaldehyde; in 

 fact, the demand for fresh eggs, because of this discovery became 

 so great that the prices of otherwise almost valueless stale eggs 

 advanced over one dollar per crate. It was said that one large 

 baking establishment had for a long time bought as much as a 

 thousand pounds of "mixed eggs" daily in the belief that they were 

 fresh and wholesome cracked eggs; and eggs not too far advanced 

 in decomposition could be separated into "egg-white" and "egg-yolk/' 

 but those which were quite stale and practically rotten, could not 

 be separated, and, therefore, their contents were mixed thoroughly 

 together, treated with the deodorant and preservative, and sold 

 to the unsuspecting producer of choice (?) pastry. A few prosecu- 

 tions placed bakers on their guard, and exposed the fraud and the 

 business came to an end, so far as that state was concerned. 



Cakes and pies should be, like Caesar's wife, entirely "above sus- 

 picion;" and in truth, there are good reasons which justify the 

 demand for legislation upon this subject. If cold-storage eggs are 

 sold as fresh laid stock, it is an imposition and a deception. The 

 matter is worthy of future consideration. 



COLD-STORAGEi POULTRY. 



The oft-discussed question as to the healthfulness of poultry that 

 was not drawn at the time of killing, and which was kept in cold- 

 storage for days, months and even years, before it was sold to the 

 consumer, was again brought to the attention of the Dairy and 

 Food Commissioner during the past year with more or less fre- 

 quency. 



It developed through investigation and a series of correspondence 

 that fowls are killed some times without bleeding, packed before 

 entirely dead and frozen solid without removal of entrails. It is 

 needless to state that the presence of undigested food and excre- 

 mentious substances in such fowls, must, necessarily taint the flesh 

 and assist in its decomposition, and particularly because of the fact 

 that the frost is either wholly or partially removed after the fowls 

 leave the cold-storage chamber and before they reach the consumer. 

 Bacterial action and ptomaine poisoning quickly appearing with the 

 actual putrescent condition which already exists, the danger to life 

 is unquestionably a serious one. This question is one that certainly 

 demands consideration at the hands of our next Legislature. 



It is gratifying to know that certain cities and boroughs through 

 their local powers have already forbidden the sale of dressed poul- 

 try, which was not drawn before being offered for sale. Poultry 

 w r hich was killed a number of years ago, and placed in refrigeration 

 should be sold for what it is, and it should also have received 

 proper and careful treatment before being stored away for the indefi- 

 nite future. 



POULTRY PROFITABLE IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



The poultry industry of Pennsylvania is constantly increasing in 

 importance and value. It is reasonable to predict that in a compara- 



