AmAP0rUiir,'i%rm'}      Well  Known  Synthetic  Chemicals.  167 
material  used  for  preserving  foods.  This  is  due  not  only  to  the 
belief  in  the  injurious  character  of  salicylic  acid,  but  perhaps  is  espe- 
cially due  to  the  fact  that  it  has  in  the  past  been  so  generally  used 
as  an  antiseptic.  That  salicylic  acid  should  be  singled  out  especially 
for  condemnation  among  preservatives  does  not  seem  to  be  justified 
by  the  data  which  are  presented  and  discussed  in  this  bulletin.  That 
it  is  a  harmful  substance,  however,  seems  to  be  well  established  by 
the  data  taken  as  a  whole,  but  it  appears  to  be  a  harmful  substance 
of  less  virulence  than  has  been  generally  supposed.  The  addition 
of  salicylic  acid  and  salicylates  to  foods  is  therefore  a  process  which 
is  reprehensible  in  every  respect,  and  leads  to  injury  to  the  con- 
sumer, which,  though  in  many  cases  not  easily  measured,  must 
finally  be  productive  of  great  harm." 
Benzoic  acid  and  the  benzoates  are  by  many  considered  less 
harmful  than  the  salicylates.  Whether  or  not  this  is  correct  remains 
to  be  established  by  future  experiments  and  observations.  This 
much,  however,  is  certain,  that  whenever  it  is  possible,  and  usually 
it  is,  food  products  should  be  prepared  without  the  use  of  any  ques- 
tionable preservative. 
Saccharin  is  generally  employed  as  a  sweetening  agent  and  its  use 
is  largely  of  a  deceptive  character  because  the  consumer  usually 
believes  that  when  he  is  eating  a  food  product  sweetened  with  this 
chemical,  that  the  sweetening  is  due  to  some  form  of  sugar.  The 
use  of  saccharin  as  a  sweetening  agent  is  not  only  common  in  food 
products,  but  also  in  medical  remedies.  Saccharin  is  a  most  valuable 
agent  for  certain  diseased  conditions,  but  this  does  not  justify  its 
indiscriminate  use.  Inasmuch  as  deceptions  and  misrepresentations 
of  all  kinds  are  prohibited  under  the  act,  the  presence  of  this  chem- 
ical should  be  declared  upon  the  label. 
The  synthetic  production  ot  vanillin  undoubtedly  was  one  of  the 
greatest  scientific  achievements  and  triumphs  of  chemistry.  Vanillin 
is  a  very  valuable  commodity.  It  is  claimed  by  many  that  flavoring 
preparations  made  with  vanillin  as  a  basis,  possess  distinct  advan- 
tages over  extracts  from  the  vanilla  bean.  There  is  no  question 
whatever  but  that  vanillin  possesses  certain  merits  not  inherent  in  the 
vanilla  bean,  and  it  seems  rather  incomprehensible  why  manufac 
turers  do  not  take  advantage  of  this  fact  and  sell  vanillin  prepara- 
tions on  their  merits.  Let  not  vanillin  in  disguise  deprive  extract 
of  vanilla  of  its  time-honored  reputation. 
