TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 505 



tained. Frequent inspections have been made throughout the state and 

 no unsanitai-y condition coming to the attention of the department has 

 been permitted to exist. 



The acute sugar shortage has also absorbed considerable attention 

 from our inspectors. Not only have substitutes appeared which requfred 

 attention but numerous complaints of hoarding and profiteering were 

 received which necessitated frequent investigations. This subject is 

 taken \ip more fully elsewhere in the report. 



The substitution of saccharine in place of sugar, a measure to which 

 many housewives are being tempted to resort in these days of shortage 

 and high sugar prices, may involve menace to the health, and its use is 

 condemned. Saccharine is a harmful drug and should not be used in 

 foods. It has no food value, while sugar is a very highly concentrated 

 food. Tbe laws of Iowa forbid the sale of foods containing saccharine 

 as does &.lso a Federal law. The manufacturers of this product have 

 exploited .its use as a substitute for sugar through extensive advertising 

 and the Federal Government is prosecuting one of these firms for labeling 

 its product as harmless and shipping it into interstate commerce. 



EGG INSPECTION 



The Egg Law is a measure designed to regulate the traflac in eggs in 

 such a manner as to prevent bad eggs entering the market channels and 

 thus lowering the market price of good eggs. 



Early this year an egg-conference was called by representatives of the 

 United States; Department of Agriculture. This meeting was held at 

 St. Louis and most of the Dairy and Food Commissioners from the 

 leading egg shipping states were present. This conference drew up 

 what is called the uniform egg bill and presented it to the legislatures 

 of mid-western states. This bill in an amended form has been passed in 

 Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota and Illinois. The Iowa law differs from 

 the uniform bill only as regards the amount of the license fee which in 

 the uniform bill is two dollars. 



Iowa is among the leading, if not the leading, state in the number 

 of eggs produced, and the value of the egg crop. No reliable information 

 is available showing the number of eggs produced in Iowa last year, or 

 the value of this cash crop. However, the Iowa Census (1915) for the 

 1914 crop places the figure for production at 120,930,552 dozen, valued 

 at $20,593,720. This figure for production must have been greatly exceeded 

 during the past year. During the months of March, April, May, June 

 and July, 1914, the Iowa farmer received 16 cents a dozen for his eggs 

 while this season the farmer has averaged over 36 cents for them. Based 

 on this 36 cent price, 120,930,552 dozen (production for 1914) would be 

 worth $43,534,999.74. 



The present high prices being received by the producer for his eggs 

 calls to mind, by contrast, the prices received by him a few years ago. 

 The following tabulation is of value to those interested: 



