160  Use  of  Preservatives  in  Foods.  {AmA^\-JmTm' 
a  fair  number  of  experiments.  In  the  introduction  I  allude  to  what 
is  known  as  '  borism.'  The  eruption  occurs  on  the  skin  of  certain 
individuals  as  the  result  of  the  use  of  either  boric  acid  or  borax. 
There  have  been  other  cases  recorded — although  here  again  I  can- 
not speak  personally — in  which  dyspeptic  troubles  have  arisen* 
There  have  been  a  fair  number  of  experiments  performed  upon 
animals. 
"  Q.  7544.  Boric  acid  is  the  commoner  preservative,  is  it  not? 
— A.  I  am  not  so  sure.  I  think  very  largely  a  mixture  is  used 
that  is  called  '  glacialin  ' — a  mixture  of  boric  acid  and  borax.  In 
animals  the  chief  advantage,  if  one  may  put  it  so,  of  the  poison  is 
that  it  is  not  cumulative ;  it  does  not  accumulate  in  the  body,  but  it 
is  rapidly  eliminated  by  the  urine." 
Professor  Halliburton  says  further,  in  answer  to  question  7572* 
"  May  we  take  it,  then,  that  in  your  view  you  are  absolutely  opposed 
to  the  use  of  formalin  ?  Yes. 
"  Q.  7573.  And  with  regard  to  the  other  preservatives,  if  they 
were  labeled  that  would  meet  your  objection ;  is  that  your  position 
generally  ? — A.  No ;  I  feel  that  the  ideal  condition  of  things 
would  be  to  prohibit  them  all. 
"  Q-  7574-    All  preservatives? — A.  All  preservatives. 
"  Q-  7575-  Even  salt? — A.  No;  I  am  not  speaking  of  sub- 
stances which  are  normal  constituents  of  the  body. 
"  Q-  7576.  Would  you  prohibit  nitrate  of  potash,  too? — A. 
One  knows,  even  from  smoking  cigarettes,  that  nitrate  of  potash  is 
not  absolutely  harmless." 
The  celebrated  English  physician,  Sir  Lauder  Brunton,  also  gave 
strong  testimony  before  the  English  Committee  on  this  subject. 
Following  is  his  language  : 
"  Moreover,  it  seems  to  me  that  by  the  unregulated  use  of  pre- 
servatives we  may  possibly  get  a  double  danger,  that  from  the  drug 
itself  which  is  used  as  a  preservative,  and  that  from  the  decomposing 
food  which  may  in  spite  of  the  addition  of  a  certain  quantity  of  the 
preservative  still  undergo  change  and  become  dangerous  to  health." 
He  further  says  that  he  thinks  it  is  desirable  to  absolutely  exclude 
preservatives  from  milk.  Sir  Lauder  was  asked  the  following 
question  : 
"Q.  7431*  Have  you  formed  any  opinion  as  to  the  relative 
harmlessness  or  value  of  the  different  chemical  preservatives  ? — A- 
