300 FOOD AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



periments suffice to prove its harmlessness when used for mauy years 

 ami without regard to age, sex, or personal idiosyncrasy is still an open 

 question. A most interesting and exhaustive discussion of the reasons 

 for and against its use can be found in the report of the fourth meeting 

 of the u Independent Union of the Bavarian Representatives of Applied 

 Chemistry, at Niimberg, 7th and 8th August, 1885," J when this body 

 refused, with but one dissenting voice, to grant its sanction to the pro- 

 posed use of salicylic acid in beer in the quantity of .05 grains to the 

 liter. Certainly no one would deny the advisability of at least restrict- 

 ing the amount to be used of so powerful an agent. In an article of 

 daily consumption, and in consideration of the prevalence of kidney 

 disease 2 at the present day, it is a matter worthy of grave consideration, 

 whether it would not be more prudent to forbid its use altogether. At 

 all events, beer in which it is used should be sold under its proper 

 designation as " salicylated beer." It would certainly be of interest to 

 the physician, who prescribes beer as a tonic to a weak convalescent 

 invalid, to know if he were giving at the same time not inconsiderable 

 doses of a strong therapeutic agent, expressly contra-indicated per- 

 haps, in the case he has on hand. 



The following amounts of salicylic acid were found in various articles 

 of diet by Ch. Girard, director of the Municipal Laboratory, in 1881 3 : 



Wine contained iu the liter, 1.95,1.60,1.48, 1.41,1.35,0.81, and in one case even 

 3.50 grams salicylic acid. 



Sirup contained in the liter, 0.5 to 1.50 grams. 

 Beer contained in the liter, 0.25 to 1.25 grams. 

 Milk contained in the liter, 0.25 to 1.85 grams. 



It will be noticed that in one case of wine mentioned it contained in 

 one liter the full therapeutic dose for twenty-four hours. 



In this country but little attention seems to have been given to the 

 use of salicylic acid as a preservative. In the investigation made by 

 the New York State Board mentioned above, no search was made for it, 

 or, in fact, for any other preservative. In the last year the municipal 

 boards of New York and Brooklyn seem to have been taking cogni- 

 zance of its extensive use, as is shown by the following extract from a 

 paper read by Dr. Cyrus Edson, of the New York Board of Health, be- 

 fore the New York Society of Medical Jurisprudence and State Medi- 

 cine, November 12, 1886 : 4 



Within the past few months I have been confronted with a subject the importance 

 of which to the community is very great. I have already touched upo'- it. It is the 

 use of salicylic acid, a food preservative. Many, if not all, the ma. ifacturers of 

 preserved foods are adding small amounts of this substance to their goods to proven!, 

 loss by decomposition. The amount used is probably between one-third of a grain 

 and a grain to the pound, and in tho case of wines and boor, to which it is als-i added 



1 Published by Drs. A. Hilger and R. Kayser, Berlin, 1886. 

 2 Tho most common form is popularly known as " liright's di>- 

 'Pharm. Cent. 22, 296. 

 4 American Analyst 1887, p. 7. 



