186 BOARD OF AGRICULTURK. [Pub. Doc. 



benzoic acid, as we did last winter, the data not having been 

 compiled and studied in such a way as to give any definite 

 answer, I will say that visibly the benzoate of soda was not 

 injurious, as far as any outward effect is concerned. But 

 I believe all preservatives are injurious, — a theoretical 

 reason, but based on large experience. The preservative is 

 only effective when it can control bacterial action. It takes 

 just as much action to kill bacteria, whether with a hammer 

 or borax or salicylic acid ; and the preservative is injurious 

 to health, because digestion is a fermentation just as much 

 as making vinegar of cider or making alcohol out of sugar 

 is a fermenting process. Whenever benzoate of soda is 

 given in such quantities as to prohibit action, it must 

 be injurious to health. And that is true of anything 

 Avhatever. 



Question. Are the cereals that we all eat adulterated, — 

 the breakfast foods ? 



Dr. WiLEv. I never examined the cereal foods for adul- 

 teration at all. I don't think they are adulterated. I have 

 heard some wild statements in regard to arsenic and mor- 

 phia, and so forth, in breakfast foods, but I think they are 

 wTong. There would be no object in putting them in ; they 

 are not preservative articles. I don't think there is any 

 adulteration, as far as I have ever seen, in any of the cereal 

 foods, so called. 



The Chair. I hope the ladies Avill show the doctor that 

 they know how to roast coffee, before he leaves us, that he 

 may carry something back to remember Framingham people 

 by, in his old bachelor home. Won't the ladies take part 

 in this catechising? Remember, it is open to any one. 



IVIrs. H. G. Worth (of Nantucket) . I shall have to admit 

 that I don't know how. I was in hopes he would tell us. 



Dr. Wiley. I would like to tell the ladies how, if they 

 would like to know. I am not exactly a professional chef, 

 althouo-h a o-ood chef could earn more monev as a cook in 

 New York, five or ten times over, than I can in Washing- 

 ton. But I am not devoted to money making ; if I were, I 

 would be buying stocks to-day. Sift the coffee through 

 sieves until you get grains of the same size. You never 



