| Show THE PURE FOOD BILL We are surprised to see In the Medical Medi-cal News a vlqlent attack upon the Hep burn Pure Food Bill The bill proposes pro-poses to vest certain authority In the chief chemist oC the Agricultural Department De-partment by virtue of which he would be able to enforce standards of purity In foods and medicines The News admits ad-mits the need of standardizing drug products and pure foods But It objects ob-jects to the bill named first because it purposes to put the power to act In the Agricultural Department holding that as to interstate commerce said control should be vested In the Treasury Department De-partment and as to deleterious adulterations adul-terations they should be Investigated by the Marine Hospital service which composes the medical authorities of the Treasury Department the claim being that this Marine Hospital Corps Is infinitely In-finitely better equipped for such service ser-vice than any section of the Agricultural Agricul-tural Department is The News holds further that a National Health Department De-partment should be created that with such a department the solution of these problems the securing of pure foods and medicines is assured Passing this by as something not before be-fore the public It Is curious to see the antipathy manifested by the News to tho Agricultural Department It claims that the chemist Is not competent compe-tent lo deal with the question But the law proposes to give him plenty of help and that help would all be skilled help Thero is no reason to suppose that the commission constituted by the Hepburn bill would fall in either competence com-petence or efficacy Neither 15 1 It reasonable rea-sonable to claim that the Agricultural Department has nothing TO do with such matters that It should confine Itself It-self to the Interests of the growers of crops In fact it has an extended usefulness use-fulness outside of that In the inspection inspec-tion of packed meats the Investigation o f many economic problems and In the advancement of science The Marine Hospital Corps Is a most worthy body of experts and whenever Its usefulness can be extended that ought to be done but l because It I is worthy that In no reason why a Department hut extends throughout the country and has Iacill ties to put Its touch Instantly upon Any matter within the limits of our coun I try to help and to heal I should be h attacked at-tacked md told to lake a back seat In I favor of a Hospital Corps whose work li local merely and that hna no facilities facili-ties for covering the country an the Agricultural Department does The Medical News Is prejudiced and It speaks without Judgment In this matter mat-ter The Hepburn bill In a good bill and we hope It will pass |
