44 COAL-TAR COLORS USED IN FOOD PRODUCTS. 



3. Coal-tar colors in general should therefore be permitted for the coloring of foods, 

 but those that have been found to be harmful should be expressly and specifically 

 forbidden. 



4. The amount of coloring matter which has been determined quantitatively hi 

 bonbons and liqueurs is so small that even the ones regarded as poisonous would not 

 be able to develop their harmful effects. (Zts. Nahr. Unters. Hygiene Waarenk., 

 1893, v.7, p. 338.} 



KAYSEB. 



In 1895 Kayser expressed himself as follows: 



As to the poisonous nature of organic coloring, and in respect to their composition, 

 H. Erdmann (Pharm. Centralh., 1892, v. 33, p. 357) concludes that in general acid 

 dyestuffa can pass as nonpoisonous; whereas in the case of basic coloring matters it 

 is recommended to make a physiological examination before using them for the col- 

 oring of things in daily use, especially articles of food. Whether that portion of that 

 view which deals with acid dyestuffs will retain unexceptionable and positive validity 

 appears doubtful. 



At the present time, speaking generally, interested manufacturers take the point 

 of view that all the coloring matters which are not forbidden in the food law are to be 

 regarded as permitted. Whether this point of view is free from legal objection can 

 not be discussed here; that, however, it can not be accepted from a hygienic point of 

 view under any circumstances whatever does not require any special proof for those 

 conversant with the facts. The hygienic requirements under all circumstances 

 can be summed up in the following rule: 



Every coloring matter is to be regarded in every way as suspicious, so far as its 

 harmlessness is not proven by experience or by correct physiological experiments. 



No one can say in advance that among the colors which are to-day manufactured 

 and used, which are as yet not called into question, there are none which possess 

 distinctly poisonous properties. Correct examination of artificial coloring matters in 

 this direction is, as is well known, even to the present almost wholly lacking. (Forsch- 

 ungsberichte uber Lebensmittel, etc., 1895, Vol. II, p. 181.) 



WEYL. 



In 1896 Weyl expressed himself as follows: 



Since the number of the organic coloring matters already known is a very large one 

 and since their number is increasing daily, and it seems to be unlikely that each 

 individual of these coloring matters will be examined as to its poisonous nature, there 

 are only two ways left in which to solve the question as to the use of coloring matters 

 in the manufacture of food and articles of daily use. 



One of them, and at the same time the simplest, would be to prohibit the use of all 

 coloring matters for the coloring of foods, etc. This rigorous point of view will hardly 

 ever be taken by legislators, because it would be tantamount to the removal of many 

 marks of differentiation which have become desirable and necessary. 



The second way seems to be the much more practicable, and which Theodor Weyl 

 proposed some time ago. 



It consists in permitting the use of only a definite number of coloring matters, recog- 

 nized as harmless, for the coloring of articles of food, etc. Which coloring matters 

 are to be so permitted is to be determined by the authorities having jurisdiction. 

 The same authorities are also to determine the maximum amount of each coloring 

 matter which can be used for any purpose. New coloring matters can be used only 

 for the above-mentioned purposes when they have been recognized as nonpoisonous 

 after official test. All permitted coloring matters must be also detectable, even in 

 small amounts. (Handbuch der Hygiene, 1896, Vol. Ill, p. 385.) 



