No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 99 



superior so far as the percentage of adulterated food is concerned. 

 Just three years ago the conditions were the reverse and less favor- 

 able. A vigorous campaign on the part of the Dairy and Food offi- 

 cials has produced salutary effects, and the reports of the State 

 chemists unmistakably prove that the improvement is gradual and 

 permanent. 



In Germany contractors are forbidden to supply food containing 

 boric acid for the use of the army and navy. Experiments made 

 show that meat preserved with a mixture of salt and borax will 

 eventually produce gastric derangement in all those using it. In 

 Pennsylvania the law is equally stringent upon this question. Some 

 of the meat packers claim that the quantity of boric acid employed 

 as a preservative is too small to be capable of producing any harm. 

 The fact that the quantity used may be small has no bearing on 

 the legal phase of the subject. 



The court decision in the famed case of Commonwealth vs. Kevin, 

 supports this allegation. It is a well-known fact that the con- 

 stant repetition of a small dose may produce effect, when a single 

 administration of the larger quantity would fail in its action. This 

 rule is frequently exemplified in the practice of the physician. If the 

 pharmacist and physician must exercise extraordinary care in pre- 

 scribing such drugs for certain definite purposes, it would be decid- 

 edly improper and even absurd to let the butcher, dairyman, etc., 

 "dose" their patrons whether knowingly or without their knowledge 

 and consent. Their use is not really necessary, and the people of 

 Pennsylvania were wise in demanding such legislation as would 

 prohibit the use of preservatives which are acknowledged to be 

 harmful. 



The use of chemical preservatives for other than legitimate pur- 

 poses is under the ban in this State. Its use to conceal incipient 

 putrefaction and to enable a certain class of dealers to palm off 

 stale and questionable food products, can no longer be tolerated. 



LEGAL PHASE OF THE WORK. 



The national importance of the question of adulteration of food 

 is fully shown by the fact that as much as from one-third to nearly 

 one-half the income of a large portion of the average working classes 

 is spent in the purchase of food. With this statement in mind, 

 there are many and sufficient reasons for the continual efforts of 

 all philanthropic citizens to protect the public health and to prevent 

 dishonest or unscrupulous manufacturers and dealers from commit- 

 ting offenses against the Dairy and Food Laws of the Common- 

 wealth. In the opinion of many eminent attorneys and chemical 

 authorities the question as to the propriety and legality of such 

 legislative enactments appears to be plain; that they were abso 

 lutely necessary for the protection of the health and lives of the 

 public, and, in consequence, their enforcement has naturally become 

 a part of the police regulations of the Commonwealth. Nothing is 

 more needed than legislation that will afford still better protection 

 to the health of the public. 



PRAISE DUE TO CHEMISTS. 



The chemical laboratories of the Dairy and Food Commissioner 

 were busily occupied during the year, as the thousands of analytical 



