OPINIONS OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND OTHERS 

 REGARDING THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 



ALABAMA. 



From Alphonse L. Stollenwerck, of the Newman & Stollenwerck 

 Drug Company, Birmingham* Ala. : 



I have no data of adulteration of drugs and food products, for the reason that I 

 never took the trouble to make memoranda. 1 have no doubt but that I could 

 gather up quite a number of adulterated foods and drugs. We have no preventive 

 laws in this State. We have an Alabama Slate pharmacy law, which pertains' only 

 to the licensing of pharmacists. In 1881 I organ i/cd a county pharmaceutical asso- 

 ciation in Jefferson County, and the following year organi/ed the Alabama State 

 pharmaceutical association, of which I was the president for two years. As the presi- 

 dent of this association, I framed the present pharmacy law. We have never been 

 able to pass a law pertaining to adulteration of drugs, medicines, and foods. I think 

 a law governing these articles if properly enforced would be of great material good to 

 the community atlarge. I think the manufacturers of patent and proprietary medi- 

 cines and of food products are allowed entirely too much latitude, inasmuch as 

 unscrupulous manufacturers put upon the market and advertise preparations not 

 onlj devoid of medicinal properties but which are absolutely injurious to the con- 

 sumer. 



From H. N". Bosser, health officer, Birmingham, Jefferson County, 

 Ala.: 



In my opinion a national law requiring the proper labeling of drugs and groceries 

 in packages as to quality and quantity is a "consummation devoutly to be wished," 

 as many of the pharmaceutical preparations sent to this market are not of the 

 quality specified on the labels, and many of our canned groceries are short in weight, 

 of inferior quality, and often adulterated. Our city code has nothing in it in regard 

 to adulterations, and we have no system of inspection in Alabama. 



From N. T. Lupton, State chemist, Agricultural and Mechanical Col- 

 lege, Auburn, Ala. : 



Annotto, or a preparation similar, is used to a considerable extent for imparting a 

 yellow color to butter. 



CALIFORNIA. 



From L. Tomasini, manager of Dairyman's Union of California, San 

 Francisco, Cal.: 



The local laws against adulteration are ineffectual, as persons convicted of selling 

 oleomargarin as pure butter were fined but $5, whereas the cost of arrest and con- 

 viction to this institution was $200 in each case. We were instrumental in bringing 

 before our last legislature a pure-butter bill which passed both houses, but for some 

 unexplainable reason was pocketed by the governor. This will give you an idea of 

 the extent of the adulterations of foods in this State, and you will readily perceive 

 how helpless we are at present. Local federal authorities instead of taking an inter- 

 est in these matters seem to show considerable antagonism. 

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