*9°5\ Wheeler — Food Adulteration. 143 



cellent quality," "pure," and "unadulterated, "are often found 

 attached to articles of the most worthless character. Various 

 devices are employed to lead the unwary astray. Here is a 

 label: 



LEMON EXTRACT 



Alcohol, 415. Aqua, 450. Oil Lemon, 15. 



The resort to the Latin word is a fraud of low order. The 

 extract actually contained more water, less alcohol, and no oil 

 of lemon whatever. On a box of powdered borax put out by 

 a New York house was found the following caution: "Avoid 

 the many spurious imitations of our borax with which the 

 market is flooded, and which can only do harm to those who 

 use them. See that our trade mark is on every package." 

 The chemical examination of this borax showed that every 

 package was seriously adulterated with bicarbonate of soda. 



Again on a p ickage of coffee, the statement "Made of pure 

 coffee and cereals" is placed perpendicularly, and the instruc- 

 tion to "Open this end" placed at the opposite end. 



The food laboratory in the Bureau of Chemistry, United 

 States Department of Agriculture, is now engaged in investi- 

 gations of the highest importance. Under Dr. Wiley a squad 

 of men take their meals at the Bureau's laboratory, the food 

 being doctored with borax, salicylic acid, and other substances 

 which are said to be deleterious to health. The experiments 

 are extremely interesting, and the results promise to be im- 

 portant. 



In conclusion it may be said that all adulterations are not 

 harmful; in fact, many are actually wholesome. A watchful 

 eye is required to detect the serious abuses, which are all too 

 common, and it is necessary to distinguish between the harm- 

 less and harmful frauds. The press is prone to exaggeration 

 — a practice vividly portrayed by Bob Burdette in the fol- 

 lowing poem, entitled "A Victim of Delusion:" 



Placid I am, content, serene; 

 I take my slab of gypsum bread, 



