16 



their outrageous practices for lack of a Federal law permitting the 

 States to enforce their statutes. 



Many of the misbrauded goods are, doubtless, as good as the articles 

 which they seek to supplant; in some cases, probably, they are superior. 

 Would it not be better for the interests of all concerned to brand them 

 true to name, and for the protection of the purchasers at home and 

 abroad, as well as those manufacturers who prefer to do a legitimate 

 business (by far the great majority), for the National Government to 

 enact such remedial legislation as Avill prevent interstate or foreign 

 traffic in misbranded food and drug products. The cost of executing 

 such a law need not be immoderate, and should be borne by the manu- 

 facturers of food and drug products. A small registration fee, say $10, 

 on each manufacturer (not each article) would fully cover all the cost, 

 and the result would be of such a beneficial character as to soon receive 

 the indorsement of all parties interested. One official for each State, 

 or, at the outside, two, to cooperate with the State officials, would be all 

 that would be needed to prevent violations of the law, and reduce 

 adulteration appreciably, as all reputable dealers would be only too glad 

 to assist in preventing a competitor from underselling them by means 

 of fraudulent brands. That any law can prevent crime is, of course, 

 not to be expected, but in the case of a national food and drug adul- 

 teration law the assistance rendered by honest manufacturers and 

 dealers and the State officials would, after one or two convictions, be 

 so convincing as to materially reduce the desire to sell fraudulent 

 goods. Speaking of the necessity for supervision of the food and 

 drug products, Dr. K. C. Kedzie, in an argument before the Michigan 

 legislature, said : 



But the fact that there is such an official at work would do ranch to infuse a 

 healthy tone of honesty among manufacturers and keep such poor stuff out of our 

 State. The admonition, "There's a chiel :im:mg ye takin' notes, and faith he'll prent 

 'em," will prove a healthy tonic for public morals. A fraud may make light of any 

 threat of exposure, but it fears nothing so much as the light. It requires strong 

 pressure to gain its consent to be exposed in the public press. 



Without further comment I submit a revised list of adulterants, 

 various comments from State officials, extracts from official reports, 

 newspapers, chemists, and other correspondents, and would direct 

 special attention to the lax provisions for enforcing the statutes in 

 most of the States. These subjects have been collected under appro- 

 priate headings. It would be impossible to reproduce the hundreds 

 of letters or all the data that have been secured, or to publicly 

 acknowledge the assistance rendered me by many gentlemen who have 

 kindly and promptly furnished important information, but I desire to 

 express to each my thanks for prompt and courteous assistance. In 

 the following extracts, selected from many similar letters, will be found 

 as fair an exhibit of the views upon the question of food and drug 

 adulterations as could possibly be submitted. The preponderance of 



