410 MICROBIOLOGY OF SPECIAL INDUSTRIES. . 



as to have escaped detection. Over against the possible injury to the con- 

 sumer must be placed the economic saving through the use of the preser- 

 vative, often involving a considerable amount of money. In the absence 

 of accurate and trustworthy knowledge concerning the actual influence of 

 preservatives in the human body it would seem wise to prohibit all decep- 

 tion in regard to their presence. The principle advocated by Pasteur 

 (1891) would still seem to be best, that is, to allow the use of preservatives, 

 which are not known to be dangerous, upon the condition that their 

 presence and the exact amounts be definitely and clearly stated on an 

 appropriate label for the benefit of the purchaser and the ultimate con- 

 sumer. Such regulation would not only protect the consumer against 

 deception and fraud but would go far toward removing unjust prejudice 

 against preservatives, for even now there is little or no objection to those 

 preservative substances whose presence can be detected and the amount 

 roughly measured by the senses, such as salt, sugar, spices, vinegar and 

 wood smoke. 



