THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
APRIL,  1906. 
THE  USE  OF  PRESERVATIVES  IN  FOOD! 
By  H.  W.  Wii,Ey. 
The  question  which  has  been  long  under  discussion  concerning 
the  use  of  chemical  preservatives  in  foods  seems  now  to  be  approach, 
ing  a  final  answer.  The  points  which  have  been  most  discussed 
are,  first,  the  necessity  for  the  use  of  chemical  preservatives,  and, 
second,  their  effect  upon  health  and  digestion.  The  first  of  these 
problems  relates  largely  to  technical  questions  and  to  commercial 
operations  and  is  one  which  is  very  properly  discussed  by  both 
manufacturer  and  consumer.  The  second  is  a  question  of  whole- 
someness  or  harmfulness  and  cannot  be  properly  discussed  either 
by  manufacturer  or  consumer  unless  such  manufacturer  or  consumer 
is  also  a  physiological  chemist,  a  physician,  or  hygienist. 
It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  have  accepted  your  invitation  to-day  to 
open  the  discussion  on  this  important  subject  which  has  of  late 
been  much  in  the  public  mind.  I  wish  to  state  so  far  as  possible  the 
positions  occupied  by  those  who  have  favored  the  use  of  chemical 
preservatives  in  foods  and  also  those  who  have  discouraged  the  use 
thereof. 
First  of  all,  let  us  have  a  clear  understanding  of  the  class  of  bodies 
to  which  this  discussion  applies,  namely,  chemical  preservatives.  I 
mean  by  a  chemical  preservative  one  which  is  practically  devoid  of 
any  condimental  value,  and  which  in  the  quantities  used  in  foods 
imparts  no  distinctive  odor  or  taste  thereto  and  which  possesses 
germicidal  properties  sufficient  to  destroy  or  paralyze  bacteriolog- 
ical action  and  thus  prevent  that  class  of  fermentations  which  lead 
1  Address  delivered  before  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  March 
20,  1906. 
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