SALYCILIC ACID IN FOOD. 



T is well-known to-day that salicylic 

 acid is a powerful antiseptic. As 

 J such it retards the action of organ- 

 ized ferments like the yeast plant 

 and putrefactive bacteria. It hinders 

 and prevents fermentation, the souring 

 of milk, and the putrefaction of milk. 

 Its action upon unorganized ferments is 

 even more powerful. It completely 

 arrests the conversion of starch into 

 grape sugar by disease and pancreatic 

 extracts. This action is directly op- 

 posed to the process of digestion, and, 

 were there no other reason, the use of 

 salicilic acid should be universally con- 

 demned. These facts in connection 

 with salicylic acid have been recognized 

 very thoroughly in legislation. The use 

 of the acid has been condemned by 

 most of the European countries having 

 pure food laws. In France it is for- 

 bidden by law. In Au.stria, Italy and 

 Spain it cannot be used without the 



danger of incurring a heavy penalty, 

 and all South American States having 

 pure food laws have absolutely forbid- 

 den its sale. The laws of many of the 

 States forbid its use. By a decision of 

 Mr. Wells, the dairy and food commis- 

 sioner, the use of salicylic acid in food 

 is prohibited in Pennsylvania. 



I wish to call attention here to another 

 fact in connection with the use of sali- 

 cylic acid which is of extreme import- 

 ance, viz, the sale of preservalines, pre- 

 servatives, etc., under various high- 

 sounding names, intended for use in 

 private families. A number of these, 

 claimed to be perfectly harmless, are on 

 the market, but actually contain sali- 

 cylic acid as the main ingredient. The 

 conscientious and careful housekeeper 

 should put an absolute veto upon the 

 the use of any such compound. — ^The 

 Sanitarian. 



Transplanting Ferns. — The best 

 time to transplant wild ferns is in the 

 spring, when they first start a new growth, 

 though with care they may be trans- 

 planted any time during the spring and 

 summer months. The soil used should 

 be light and porous. Pure woods earth 

 mixed with leaf-mould is a good com- 

 position. It is a good idea when posi- 

 ble to secure the soil where the Ferns 

 grow wild. If planted in a bed it should 

 have a shaded situation free from the 

 direct rays of the sun. After removing 

 the dirt from the bed for about two feet 

 fill in with some coarse gravel and a 

 layer of dried grass, then fill in with the 

 prepared dirt. Ferns like a moist, but 

 not a soggy soil. If you have a good 



situation with neither too much sun, nor 

 too much shade, try a bed of wild Ferns 

 bordered with Pansies, and you will have 

 a " thing of beautjy and joy forever," or 

 at least while the summer lasts. 



$500 for Suburban Houses. — 



The editors of The Ladies' Home Jour, 

 nal offer five hundred dollars in prizes 

 for photographs of the prettiest suburban 

 houses. In this way the Journal will 

 secure pictures of the most attractive 

 summer homes in this country, and from 

 these a selection will be made for publi- 

 cation. The great interest in the Ame- 

 rican home — inside and outside — is 

 shown in this offer of big prizes. 



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