776 OLEOMARGARINE. 



Representative NEVILLE. Another quest! on, Professor: Were any of 

 these tests that you have described made on butter furnished by farmers 

 from the country? 



Dr. WILEY. Oh, I do not know. I simply bought my butter and 

 oleomargarine in the open market. The samples which I bought are 

 all here; but I do not know who made them. 



Representative ALLEN. Professor, with regard to the healthfulness 

 of oleomargarine, have you found in it anything deleterious to the human 

 system as a food product? 



Dr. WILEY. I never have in the analysis of oleomargarine. 



Representative ALLEN. You have examined it with that view and 

 purpose, have you! 



Dr. WILEY. Not especially with a view to finding deleterious sub- 

 stances; no, sir; but with simply a view to determining its composition. 

 But I never have detected in fresh samples of oleomargarine any bad 

 odor or bad taste, nor have I noticed in the analysis the presence of 

 bodies foreign to those which I have just mentioned, except that there 

 are portions of butter in oleomargarine, if churned with cream or milk ; 

 and I believe that for many markets at the present time glucose is used 

 in small quantities in oleomargarine as a preserving agent. It is 

 demanded by the markets of some portions of this country or of for- 

 eign countries. 



Representative ALLEN. What is the relative amount of stearin in 

 butter and oleomargarine! 



Dr. WILEY. There is very much more in oleomargarine. 



Representative ALLEN. To what extent? 



Dr. WILEY. I could not now state the exact quantity of stearin in 

 oleomargarine, but it must be 20 or 25 per cent, perhaps, while in butter 

 it is only about 4 per cent. 



Representative BAKER. Twenty-five per cent of stearin, you say? 



Dr. WILEY. I do not remember the exact figures, but I know there 

 is very much more in oleomargarine than in butter. 



Representative BAKER. Let me call your attention to the fact that 

 the report of the Treasury Department does not show any 



Dr. WILEY. I have not looked into the question for years. 



Representative WILLIAMS. The report of the Secretary of the Treas- 

 ury, Dr. Wiley, shows the amount of stearin in oleomargarine as 0.007. 

 That is almost inappreciable? 



Dr. WILEY. Yes. 



Representative WILLIAMS. Now, then, I notice that, according to 

 your statement, the amount of stearic acid, or whatever it is 



Dr. WILEY. Dioxystearin and stearin. 



Representative WILLIAMS. Yes; the amount of dioxy stearin in but 

 ter was 1.04 per cent, was it not, or just 1 per centt 



Dr. WILEY. One per cent in round numbers. 



Representative WILLIAMS. Exactly 1 per cent. 



Dr. WILEY. And of stearin about 2 per cent. 



Representative WILLIAMS. So, according to that, if these two reports 

 are correct, there is more stearin in butter than in oleomargarine? 



Dr. WILEY. Now, I wish to state to the committee that I have not 

 looked at this point, in regard to the amount of stearin in oleomarga- 

 rine, for many years; and I may be mistaken in my statement. If so, 

 I wish to reserve the right to correct it after looking the matter up. 



Representative WILLIAMS. I simply took the amount of stearin in 

 butter from your statement. 



Dr. WILEY. Yes; that is all right. 



