LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



ALEXANDRIA, VA., September 15, 1889. 

 Dr. H. W. WILEY, 



Chemist of the U. S. Department of Agriculture : 



I have tlie honor to transmit to you herewith special report upon the 

 Extent of Food Adulterations, a work to which I was duly appointed 

 by commission from the Secretary of Agriculture, March 5, 1889, under 

 act of Congress approved March 2, 1889. 



In accordance with my conception of the duty imposed upon me, I 

 spent the greater part of the limited time at my disposal, under terms 

 of my commission, in gathering together important evidence in regard 

 to the extent and character of food adulterations, such information being 

 derived largely from the work of the various State sanitary bodies, 

 official reports, documents, and discussions upon which the laws of the 

 different States were based, the laws of the various States themselves, 

 and the expressions of numerous scientific men on this subject. In 

 preparing a report from the mass of evidence thus collected I have sub- 

 divided it into several parts, with some reference to the various sources 

 of information above enumerated. In restricting the report within such 

 limits as would make it available for those for whose perusal it is prin- 

 cipally intended, I have necessarily been obliged to exclude a great deal 

 of valuable matter having a direct bearing upon the subject. Enough 

 will be found, however, I am convinced, in the pages of the following 

 report to emphasize in the strongest manner the necessity for such na- 

 tional legislation as was sought during the last session of Congress by 

 Messrs. Conger and Laird of the House Committee on Agriculture, as 

 expressed in their very able reports, as submitted to Congress by order 

 of that committee. 



I should add that I have confined myself strictly to the line indicated 

 by the words a report of a popular character," expressed in the com- 

 mission 1 hold, and have avoided infringing in any degree upon the sci- 

 entific work so capably performed by the division under your charge 

 in its investigations into this subject. 



I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, yours, 



ALEX. J. WEDDERBURN, 



Special Agent. 



