No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 89 



the shelves of the retail merchants only merchandise that fulfilled 

 the demands of law in both quality and labeling. While not as gen- 

 erally accepted as might have been expected, the i)lan was beneficial 

 and materitflly helped to decrease the extent to which food adultera- 

 tion had formerly prevailed. The principal intentional violators of 

 the pure food law would not cooperate, and as a result, some of 

 their patrons were punished accordingly for selling illegal goods, 

 i^ome interesting facts might be incorporated into this paragraph 

 in connection with the experience of several firms who ignored their 

 plain duty towards patrons and the public. 



NO JURISDICTION OVER ADULTERATED LIQUOR. 



As the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decreed that the Dairy 

 and Food Commissioner had no legal jurisdiction over the sale of 

 adulterated whisivoy, brandy, wine, beer and other intoxicating li- 

 quor, the examination of such articles of drink was necessarily dis- 

 continued, notwithstanding the wholesale doping and drugging 

 which was found to be such a common practice. So-called "artifi- 

 cial whiskey," "imitation fruit brandy," and compounds and combi- 

 nations of all kinds, are now being sold fearlessly and regardless of 

 physical results. 



The special constituents of compound liquors unknown to the or- 

 dinary drinker, as well as neutral spirits, prune juice, bead oil, old 

 sherry heading, artificial fruit essences, etc., now have a larger sale 

 than ever before. Artificial whiskey may have a legal status under 

 the United States laws, but it should be sold under its true name, 

 which is equally true of all articles of drink which do not comply 

 strictly with the requirements laid down in the United States Phar- 

 macoepia, which demand that goods shall be strictly pure and free 

 from added constituents or coloring matter. Goods nat conforming 

 should certainly be branded "Artificial Whiskey," ''.Vrtificial Bran- 

 dy," etc., as the case may require, regardless of the fact that no 

 State law is operative at the present time. It is confidently believ- 

 ed that the next Legislature will be willing to pass much needed 

 laws to remedy the present unsatisfactory state of atTairs. The 

 reputable producer, whether distiller or brewer, has no uncertain 

 mind as to the need for a thorough regeneration of the liquor traf- 

 fic, so far as purity and quality is concerned. Another conspicuous 

 feature is the extremely wide range of the alcoholic contents found 

 in commercial "whiskey," ranging from 25 to 54 per cent. Comment 

 is unneccessary. The work of the past in this State in suppressing 

 the sale of adulterated liquor was fully justified. 



TESTING CONSTITUTIONALITY OP OFFICE OF DAIRY AND FOOD COM- 

 MISSIONER. 



The Dairy and Food Commissioner of Pennsylvania is again be- 

 ing subjected to considerable expense for extra legal services, and 

 the work of the office and the special agents seriously hampered by 

 a writ of quo warranto, issued by certain parties, first, to test the 

 constitutionality of the office, and, second, to determine the consti- 

 tutionality of the powers of inspection which the petitioners al- 

 leged the respondent was exercising in the purchase and examina- 

 tion of food products, in order that adulterations might be de- 

 tected, the public protected, and the violators of law punished and 

 7 



