2 BULLETIN 1307, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
retained exceeds 12 milligrams in 100 grams of the substance (120 parts 
per million) these foods are injurious. He concluded that uncovered 
fluids and moist foods, especially oils and fats, should not be exposed 
to hydrocyanic acid gas. 
Table 1. — Hydrocyanic acid in fumigated foodstuff s (Lutrario) 
Product and condition for fumigation 
Hydrocyanic acid found 
(parts per million) 
Immedi- 
ately 
After 1 
hour 
After 24 
hours 
Fresh beef: 
Ground . . _ _ _ _ _________ 
99.5 
60.5 
44.3 
34.6 
38.0 
59.0 
22.7 
15.4 
19.8 
13.5 
2.2 
4.9 
1.1 
15.1 
8.6 
16.2 
10.8 
5.4 
.5 
10.8 
23.7 
5.4 
3.2 
4.9 
19.7 
In pieces (10 cm. cubes) ... . __________ L ... . 
45.1 
27.0 
17.0 
35.0 
48.0 
11.8 
Bread: 
Slices. 
4.3 
Whole loaves (500 grams) • ■• •• 
K 
Tea: 
In closed paper packet- 
10.0 
Open __ __ ________ _ _ . 
16.8 
Wine: 
At the surface _______ _ .__. 
9.2 
At a depth of 17 cm- 
8.2 
Lard (slices 4 cm. thick) 
17.6 
2.4 
Cow's milk: 
At the surface _ _ _ 
1 1.0 
Olive oil: 
At the surface. _____ _ ._ .._ __ 
L6 
.0 
At a depth of 10 cm 
Apples (fresh, whole) 
4.3 
Figs (dry) 
6.5 
3.7 
Peaches (fresh, whole) _ 
4.5 
Raisins (dry) ._ ___ . ____ _.. 
7.6 
5.1 
.0 
9.2 
18.9 
3.8 
4.8 
4.3 
Potatoes (whole) 
Wheat (in a sack) ___ . _ _ _ __ _ _ 
2.2 
Wheat flour (in a sack) : 
Atthesurface - _ __ _ __ ___ 
3.2 
Honey (at the surface) _ _ _ _ _. ___ -j __•_-___._ 
.9 
1.2 
1 Fumigated bread, meat, milk, and lard were fed to dogs, in approximately 500-gram portions, one or 
two hours after exposure, without injury. 
DeOng and Roadhouse (3) exposed cheese for 24 hours to a gas 
made by using 3 to 10 ounces of sodium cyanide per 1.000 cubic feet. 
Paraffined, unparaffined, and cut samples of cheese of varying age, 
made from whole milk, half-skim, and skim milk, absorbed no gas, 
or only negligible quantities that were dissipated by aeration for a 
few hours. Expert cheesemakers, chemists, and others detected no 
abnormal flavors in the fumigated cheese, nor did this cheese have 
any harmful effects on mice. 
Simmons (7) reported that Camembert, Cheddar, and Swiss cheese 
fumigated with hydrocyanic acid, in quantities sufficient to kill the 
cheese skipper (PiopMla casei L.), retained some of the fumigant for 
at least 24 hours. Cheddar cheese did not absorb as much of the 
fumigant as Camembert and Swiss cheese, which retained a good 
deal. Simmons suggested that, until extensive quantitative analyses 
are made of each variety of cheese, fumigated with different dosages 
for varying periods, followed by airing for varying periods, cyanide 
fumigation of cheese should not be recommended. 
Bon jean {2) reported the fumigation of foodstuffs in the cabin and 
hold of a vessel. In the cabin about three-fourths of an ounce of sodium 
cyanide per 100 cubic feet of space was used with an exposure of five 
hours. In the hold the dosage was one- third of an ounce of sodium 
cyanide per 100 cubic feet and the exposure was one hour, followed 
