1062 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



cial transactions by preventing manufacturers from altering in any way the nature 

 of an alimentary substance without due notification of the fact. A law like this 

 would not have to fix, as has been demanded, the limit where a certain substance 

 becomes dangerous and is therefore to be absolutely interdicted a point extremely 

 difficult to establish except in the case of undoubted poisons. It is understood of 

 course that such a law would not be applicable in the case of substances whose 

 poisonous nature is known beyond the possibility of doubt for example, lead, 

 arsenic or mercury, which must always be entirely prohibited, but only to those 

 whose toxic effects are sufficiently mild to admit of doubt. 



It is not possible to impose upon us the alternative " if it is poisonous, prohibit it : 

 if not poisonous, allow unreserved toleration " for we have previously established 

 that it is not usually poisonous, but may in exceptional cases become so, which, 

 although it does not authorize absolute prohibition, certainly justifies warning. 

 This, it seems to us, would be adequately furnished by the label. It is claimed that 

 it would be impossible to secure the conviction of offenders. This is a profound 

 mistake. On the contrary, magistrates would find themselves much relieved by the 

 removal of the necessity now existing of arbitrarily deciding as to whether the sub- 

 stance added to the food was of a dangerous nature, but having established the 

 presence of the substance and the fact that the label bore no announcement of its 

 presence, decision would be as simple as in the case of the dealer who has added 

 water to milk or wine. Accidents are disposed of. If a labeled can contains enough 

 of the substance to injure the health of the consumer, the canner should be liable 

 to prosecution exactly as is the pharmacist who substitutes 50 mg of an emetic for 

 6mg. 



This law would be useful. It protects all interests, those of public health as well 

 as those of commerce and industry. It is desirable that it be made for the present 

 the subject of study and presented with as little delay as possible for the considera- 

 tion of Parliament. Further it would be well, indeed indispensable to this law, that 

 it require the label to give, along with the substances added in preservation, the year 

 in which the preservation took place. This was suggested in 1881 : 



"To permit a correct judgment of the comparative efficacy of the various proc- 

 esses of preservation it would be well that each package of preserves should bear 

 the date of its preparation. This would be a salutary measure, and incidentally we 

 recommend it." 



This view, advanced somewhat cautiously, was taken up by the Conseil d'hygiene 

 et de la salubrite" d'Alger in a deliberation which has been sent to the Coniit for 

 examination. We can only approve, for the processes of preservation, however per- 

 fect, are not indefinite, and the public is exposed to deception in buying hermetically 

 sealed boxes of foods which on opening prove to be entirely spoiled. This is not 

 infrequent, especially in the case of meat and fish. It is true that if the measure be 

 adopted the buyers will not fail to select the freshest products and the canners will 

 not fail to denounce the Comitd and to charge them with injuring the national indus- 

 try in throwing back upon their hands old or damaged stock. But the consumers 

 will gain, and this should be the consideration of the Government to whom is in- 

 trusted the welfare and health of the people. 



The green color desired by the consumer, although it does not enhance the nutri- 

 tive quality, can be obtained without the use of copper salts. 



The quantity of copper strictly necessary to impart the coloration is so small that 

 it can not cause danger or injury to health, but if by carelessness or mistake the 

 quantity is materially increased, it can cause serious though temporary trouble in 

 the health of the individuals who consume, the product thus prepared. 



The commission thinks that the possibility of such accident is sufficient reason 

 for maintaining the prohibition on salts of copper. 



The public would be sufficiently protected from these accidents if it were possible 

 to draw attention to the presence of copper by imposing upon canners the obligation 



