6U WILEY— EFFECT OF PRESERVATIVES. [April 13, 



THE EFFECT OF PRESERVATIVES ON METABOLISM. 



BY H. W. WILEY, M.D. 



( Read April /j, /goj. ) 



The question of the use of preservatives in food products has of 

 late assumed an importance greater even than in previous years. 

 A tendency to legislation of a prohibitory character has developed 

 in all civilized countries. Many preservatives are now forbidden 

 by law in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, and many of 

 the States of the United States. It seems that it is scarcely just to 

 legislate against preservatives individually rather than as a class. 

 Universally excepted from prohibitory or restricted legislation are 

 the preservatives in common use, namely, sugar, salt, vinegar and 

 wood smoke. The basis of all prohibitory legislation, at least, the 

 alleged basis lies in the fact that the preservatives restricted or for- 

 bidden are injurious to health. If literature on the subject is con- 

 sulted some conflicting statements are found emanating from scien- 

 tific sources apparently of equal reliability. It is evident, therefore, 

 that there is a very widespread difference of opinion among 

 physiological chemists and hygienists respecting the effect of pre- 

 servatives added to foods upon the public health. The data of 

 research are very extensive in experiments in vitro, with the lower 

 animals and with man. It cannot be denied that there are many 

 grounds for the prohibitive and restrictive legislation referred to. 

 There are other questions which must be considered in connection 

 with this, namely, the dangers which attend the use of nonpreserved 

 foods and the effects which the prohibition of preservatives might 

 have upon the price of foods. The latter is a purely economic 

 subject and does not enter into the present discussion. It is evi- 

 dent that if a preservative is injurious to health it will in some way 

 affect the metabolic process. It will either derange digestion or 

 interfere with assimilation and excretion. 



There are many apparently almost insurmountable difficulties in 

 the experimental determination of this problem with man himself. 

 A merely negative result is not sufficient to secure a verdict of 

 acquittal. The reason of this is apparent, namely, the fact that in- 



