No. I.] FOOD ADULTERATION. 179 



of them. They reveal themselves. One is a food, sugar; 

 the others are condimentals which are harmful in excess 

 themselves, but they reveal themselves so they are not 

 likely to be used in excess. 



Another method, cold storage, is not actually to be con- 

 demned. Meat improves for a certain time in cold storage, 

 and it is only when meat is carried too long in cold storage 

 that it is objectionable. Canning is also a good method of 

 preservation. 



These are the ways we can preserve our meats. We don't 

 need any chemical preservatives of any kind for our meat, 

 our butter or our milk, for ordinary consumption in this 

 country. If I were going to the north pole, — which I 

 hope I never may, as this is quite cold enough for me, — 

 and had to be gone three years, and had to carry my food 

 with me, I might prefer to have that food treated with anti- 

 septics of a chemical nature rather than take any chances of 

 its being decayed, for the injury coming from those chemi- 

 cals is far less to the food than that which comes from 

 decay. The same is true of mining camps, or the army, or 

 the navy, when far from the base of supplies. These are 

 cases where it may be proper to use these preservatives, but 

 not for general consumption. 



I have thus briefly illustrated some of the things which I 

 believe added to foods are injurious to health. I would not 

 say absolutely that such things should be excluded, but I do 

 say that people should not have those unless they want to. 

 Go to the manufacturer and say, "You may put this ma- 

 terial in your food, but put a label on, sa3'ing that it is 

 there." "Oh, no," he will say, "I can't do that; nobody 

 would buy." What is he doing, then? Deceiving the con- 

 sumer, — he confesses he is. He is selling you a thing 

 which you wouldn't buy if you knew what it was. That is 

 iraud ; that is adulteration, and it ought not to be permitted. 

 You have a right at least to know what you are eating, and 

 you ought to have an opportunity to know the character of 

 what you are eating. Most intelligent })cople do know that 

 certain substances are injurious to health, and they Avon't eat 

 them ; but there are hundreds and thousands of people who 



