16 Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station .
stances without apparent injury to health, whereas the results
might show decidedly injurious effects if fed to those of en-
feebled constitution or digestive power, or to the young, and es-
pecially to infants. And this criticism can be justly applied
. to the conclusions of the Referee Board.
· Aside from the question of the injury to health of the pre-
servative, there is absolutely no question whatever that the use
‘ c of preservatives makes possible the use of materials in foods, in
condition that would prevent their use if preservatives were not
used, and makes it possible, also, for unsanitary conditions, as
pointed out above. -
It is further claimed that its use is not injurious, at least
' in some food products, where only a small quantity of the food
. is taken, as in tomato catsup, fountain syrups and condiments.
But, if allowed in such food products, there is no good ex-
cuse why it should not be allowed in other food products. If
the preservative is all·owed in one food product, the claim is
strong that it should be allowed in all food products, and yet
I believe it would be almost criminal to allow the use of any
preservative in milk, as it is almost universally used as a food
for invalids and infants, and the physiological effects from pre-
servatives in milk, when fed under such conditions, are doubtful.
The American Medical Association has adopted strong reso-
lutions against the use of benzoate of soda as a preservative.
The sentiment against the use of benzoate of soda me food prod-
ucts is almost unanimous among physicians. A circular was
sent from the Food and Drug Division of the Experiment Sta-
‘ tion to the physicians throughout the State and replies, many of
which are based upon long practical experience with the use of
benzoate of soda as a medicine, are strong against the use of this
substance in food products.
From the exhaustive experiments made on the use of pre-
servatives by Dr. YViley; by the Referee Board, and from the re-
sults abroad; from the opinions of physicians who have used
· this substance as a medicine, and from those who have had
charge of the pure food work a number of years, it is evident
that there is a question of doubt as to the effect of the preserva-
tives upon liealtlnespccially of benzoate of soda, and there is
no question but that preservatives 1nay be used to offset un-
sanitary conditions. For these reasons, we have endeavored to
prevent the use of preservatives. The very spirit of the pure
cl