ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 105 



caused to pass through a hot copper netting and by suitable con- 

 nections caused to bubble through water until the water has 

 taken up or absorbed as much of the gas as it has the capacity 

 to hold. Water at ordinary temperature will absorb about 40 

 per cent, of the gas, and this product is known commercially as 

 formaldehyde 40 per cent. Most of the brands of preservatives 

 which contain formaldehyde are not made of the 40 per cent, 

 solution but contain a much smaller quantity of the pure sub- 

 stance. In England there is used a five per cent, solution of 

 formaldehyde which is called ''formaline", and this is used 

 largely for preserving the milk supply of city milk dealers. For 

 a period of eighteen months there were used over 15,000 gallons 

 of formaline in that country. 



One brand of preservative found in the state of Iowa con- 

 tained five to six per cent, of formaldehyde, and was sold for a 

 short time at $2.00 per gallon. In Chicago we have found that 

 a firm has been using formaldehyde but they have sold it under 

 another name. At first this firm used a sandy material colored 

 red to absorb the formaldehyde solution, but lately they have 

 been placing it on the market in liquid form. These packages 

 hold about one pint of material and are sold for $1.25 per package. 

 Formaldehyde is quoted at the present time at 45 to 50 cents 

 per pound, and a comparison proves that it is better to purchase 

 the formaldehyde as such and not under another brand or name. 

 There is a feature in connection with the use of formaldehyde 

 which is of interest to those using a preservative, and that is the 

 fact that those who have investigated the subject claim that it is 

 a non-poisonous body. Dr. Berloiz states that it is perfectly 

 harmless to man, and Dr. Rideal, an English investigator, 

 makes the statement that he has frequently drunk a one per 

 cent, solution of formaldehyde without any ill effects. Other 

 investigators claim that large quantities of the substance act as 

 a poison, but it is admitted by Blythe, in his work on foods, that it 

 would require seventeen grams of formaldehyde at a single dose 

 to produce any effect upon a man. The question whether the 

 substance would produce bad effects by constant use of food 

 preserved with it is an unsettled one, but I think that the results 



