he 
particularly at the practice of spraying, but are simply efforts on the 
part of selfish competitors to cripple the legitimate trade of more ener- 
getic and wide-awake rivals. 
We take the ground that fruit sprayed with the copper compounds 
in accordance with the directions of the Department is harmless. No 
_ better proof of this is to be found than that shown by the experi- 
ence of this country. For five years the copper compounds have been 
used by hundreds and thousands of fruit-growers in every part of the 
United States, yet in all that time not a single authenticated case of 
poisoning, so far as we are aware, has been brought to light. It is 
true a few individuals have claimed that they were made sick by eating 
sprayed fruit, but in all such cases careful investigations have revealed 
that claims of this kind were absolutely without foundation. However, 
we do not consider these general statements sufficient to warrant us in 
taking the stand as regards the harmlessness of the copper compounds 
when properly used. More direct testimony is readily obtained and 
some of this we now propose to consider. The question may properly be 
discussed under two heads, namely: 
(1) The present condition of our knowledge as regards the toxicology 
of copper; and 
(2) Are the salts found in sufficient quantity upon the fruit at the 
time of harvest to prove injurious to health? 
No doubt the majority of people, including physicians, would answer 
the first statement at once by saying that copper is a poison. When 
we come to look carefully into the matter, however, it is found that the 
very best authorities differ on the subject. For more than a hundred 
years the question as to the poisonous nature of copper has been dis- 
cussed, and yet, after reading all the testimony, it is exceedingly difficult 
from the evidence adduced to form a definite opinion. 
In 1885 the question was discussed before the Belgium Royal Acad- 
emy of Medicine for seven months, the object being to obtain some 
authoritative data as to the effect of copper contained in French canned 
vegetables on the public health. While it was finally decided that the 
copper compounds in foods were harmful, no direct stand as to the 
poisonous nature of the substances was taken. Those who antagonized 
the view that copper was an actual poison cited many eminent authorities 
to bear out their assertions. In the whole discussion, however, it was 
remarkable that not a single case of injury to health resulting from the 
daily absorption of small quantities of copper was given. Many in- 
stances were cited, however, where foods containing copper in consid- 
erable amounts were daily consumed without any ill effects whatever. 
It is interesting to notein this connection that notwithstanding the dis- 
cussion before the Belgium Academy the law of July, 1882, prohibiting 
the use of copper in the re-greening of fruits was repealed by the French 
authorities in the Department of the Seine. It appears, therefore, from 
all the evidence on the subject that the question under consideration is 
19613—No. 7——2 
