1034 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



salicylic acid or its salts, even in small amounts, be absolutely pro- 

 hibited. 



Regarding the physiological effects of salicylic acid, the testimony is 

 conflicting. There is a dearth of reliable experiments upon the human 

 subject. As already mentioned, however, Kolbe took daily doses for 

 the period of a year without injurious effect. Lehmann 1 administered to 

 each of two Munich laborers half a gram of salicylic acid daily for sev- 

 enty-five and ninety-one days, respectively, without a trace of injurious 

 effect. These amounts are much larger than would ever be found in 

 food. Administration of doses of salicylic acid, ranging between 6 and 

 12 grams, soon causes symptoms of cerebral poisoning. Four grams of 

 sodium salicylate have been known to cause exceptionally severe toxic 

 symptoms. The minimum dose for salicylic acid as given by the dis- 

 pensatory is, on the authority of Ewald, 5 grams, repeated in five hours 

 when necessary in cases where its antipyretic action is sought. Sal- 

 icylic acid is one of the best known remedies for rheumatism in all 

 cases where it is not directly contra indicated by renal affections. As 

 to its influence on digestion, information is lacking. It is certainly not 

 beneficial, however. 



Its detection in food is fairly easy. It gives two very characteristic 

 reactions. With ferric chlorid in nearly neutral solution it gives a 

 deep-purple color, and treated so as to produce its methyl ester, a 

 highly characteristic odor of wintergreen. It can be separated from 

 food in a fairly pure state by acidulating the sample, extracting with 

 ether, and distilling the extract in a current of steam. 



Regarding the propriety of the use of salicylic acid by the camiers, 

 it may be said, as before remarked, that this use should be unhesi- 

 tatingly condemned in cases where the fact is not indicated on the label 

 of the goods. Salicylic acid may be harmless in very small doses to 00 

 out of 100 consumers, but the interests of the hundredth man should 

 be guarded. Moreover, there is no safeguard against the use of inor- 

 dinate quantities, for while the qualitative detection of salicylic acid is 

 very easy, the quantitative estimation is a matter of very considerable 

 difficulty. For this reason the canner who uses any at all may use 

 almost any quantity he pleases with perfect impunity. Moderately 

 large doses of salicylic acid are quite likely to prove detrimental to 

 many people. 



The whole salicylic acid question was quite- thoroughly gone into in 

 a previous part of this bulletin. 2 



SACCHARIN. 



Saccharin was not found in any sample of canned goods. It is an 

 article of too recent introduction to have found its way into many can 

 neries. A sample of clear liquid in a bottle labeled " Superior sweetener, 



1 Methodon der praktisehen Hygiene, Wiesbaden, 1890,281. 

 * Bulletin 13, part 3, page 2J>8. 



