76 COAL-TAB COLORS USED IN FOOD PRODUCTS. 



FAVORABLE. 



Nothing. 



UNFAVORABLE. 



1. Prohibited by Confectioners' List. 



2. WEYL (p. 30): "The injurious character of picric acid has long been known." 



3. "In Germany its employment for coloring food is forbidden by the imperial enact>| 



ment of 1888, on account of its poisonous character." (pp. 68-71.) 



4. "The foregoing statements show that while the acid must be considered poisonous, 



its injurious character is far less than has generally been assumed, nevertheless 

 the legal prohibition of its use as a coloring matter for food or drink is just." 

 (p. 71.) 



5. "Erb gave a rabbit weighing 1,700 grams, 0.06 gram of potassium picrate (24.5 



grains per 100 pounds) daily for 90 days; slight loss of weight and occasional 

 diarrhea were noted, but nothing more serious." (p. 69.) 



6. A rabbit weighing 2,065 grams died at the end of 19 days, after having taken 2.52 



grams of the substance, or 854 grains per 100 pounds body weight; number of 

 doses not stated, (p. 69.) 



7. Weyl's experiment on a dog, weight not given: April 21-26, 0.24 gram (3.7 grains) 



sodium picrate daily; April 28-May 9, 0.36 gram (5.5 grains) daily; total, 5.76 1 

 grams (8.9 grains) sodium picrate; no serious disturbance; May 13, 1.2 grams 

 (18 grains) sodium picrate at one dose; weakness marked, diarrhea and dyspnea 

 next day; May 14, 0.6 gram (9J grains) caused vomiting; evening of same day, 

 0.36 gram (5.6 grains) given; May 15, animal lively; 0.24 gram (3.7 grains) 

 again given, and on evening of same day 0.72 gram (11.2 grains); May 16, 

 marked weakness of animal, and 0.16 gram (2.5 grains) given, causing vomiting; 

 May 17, 0.17 gram (2.6 grains) given; May 18 and 19, animal definitely recovered, 

 and aside from strong yellow tinge of the conjunctiva and skin, no abnormal 

 conditions manifest. Animal died May 20 after receiving 1.32 grams (20.4 

 grains) potassium picrate. Weyl concludes, therefore, that dogs are resistant 

 to this substance, notwithstanding the prostration and the blood disorganiza- 

 tion. 



8. Weyl summarizes the effect on humans from therapeutic and poisoning cases to 



the effect that daily doses of from 0.54 to 0.90 gram (8.3 to 13.8 grains) of potas- 

 sium picrate are easily borne by healthy adults for a considerable time; children 

 and weak adults bear picric acid badly, (p. 70.) 



9. "Picric acid * * * is poisonous * * *." (p. 96.) 



10. FRAENKEL (p. 572): "On the other hand, this substance is not usable for internal 



administration on account of its decomposing the red blood corpuscles, and of 

 its energetic cramp production, as well as on account of its disturbance of 'the 

 kidneys, and the ultimate paralysis of the respiratory centers; nevertheless, 

 picric acid is not to be considered a violent poison * * *." 



11. SCHACHERL (p. 1044): "Picric acid * * * (is), according to numerous state- 



ments in the literature, poisonous even in small doses, and (is) therefore un- 

 qualifiedly to be declared a*s unpermissible." 



12. LIBBER (p. 16), where it is stated to be forbidden by the German law, and is also 



otherwise substantially the same as Weyl above quoted. 



13. Resolutions of the Society of Swiss Analytical Chemists, September, 1891: "The 



following are to be regarded as coloring matters harmful to health: * * * 

 picric acid * * *." 



14. Prohibited by the Belgian law of June 17, 1891. 



15. LEWIN (Lehrbuch der Toorikologie, 1397, p. 232): "Picric acid is poisonous. Rab- 



bits can stand daily 10 milligrams of a green containing picric acid, but not 20 

 milligrams. Their death is accompanied by paralysis." 



16. Buss lists it as poisonous. 



