Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 23 T 



" It seems a plain proposition to youi- committee, that a solution 

 of a sulphite which has such power to destroy the offensive effluvia 

 of decaying animal matter, has some influence on the delicate and 

 delicious odors and flavors of fruits submitted to its action. 



" Whether, by using a relatively small quantity of this salt in 

 solution, the exact point might be attained which would arrest fur- 

 ther change in the fruit and yet leave sufficient of its original flavor 

 to make it attractive and agreeable to the palate, is a question which 

 your committee would not attempt to answer without making a long 

 series of experiments. 



" They cannot, however, overlook the valuable medical virtues 

 of the solution used by Mr. Spear, and it seems to them a matter of 

 such general importance that special notice should be taken of it in 

 this connection, although the patentee of the process makes no men- 

 tion of these curative properties. 



*' The salt in question does not belong to that class of medical 

 agents which exercise a deleterious influence on persons in good 

 health, and yet, in a certain class of diseases, it acts with great cura- 

 tive power. It has been used with success by physicians of the 

 allopathic school, both in this country and Europe, in diseases by 

 blood poisoning. Dr. DeRecci states that sulphites of the alkaline 

 class neutralize the zymotic principle, that is, the ferment, without 

 being injurious to life. 



" In this country, at least, the disease most to be dreaded is scar- 

 let fever. It has been successfully treated, in many cases, by means 

 of the sulphite of soda. The question now presents itself whether 

 the use of fruits prepared by Mr. Spear's process, among children, 

 would not have a beneficial tendency? We assert with confidence 

 that a preventive and cure of this terrible scourge could not be 

 administered in a more palatable form than that of preserves. 



" If Mr. Spear's solution should prove a specific cure for the di». 

 ease alluded to, as well as others of a similar character, the demand 

 for it will be far beyond what the inventor could have hoped, if 

 used simply as preservative of fruit. 



SAMUEL D. TILLMAN, 7 ^ 



J. V. C. SMITH, i Camm»«eee." 



page's pump and sprinklek. 



The committee to whom was referred Page's pump and sprink- 

 ler, beg leave to report: 



" That they have carefully examined and practically tested the 

 same on the various points claimed bv the inventor. The imple- 



