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Hon. G. M. Dame, State Dairy and Food Commissioner, Lansing Mich. : Dear Sir--I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of the laboratory division of the Dairy and Food Department during the fiscal year (July 1, 1911-July 1, 1912).

A total of 3,552 samples were analyzed during this period. Of this number 3,070 included foods, beverages and linseed oils, 200 commercial feeding stuffs and 282 drug preparations. Two thousand ninety of the former were found to comply with the provisions of the statute, while 980 were found to be adulterated or misbranded. Of the 282 drug samples submitted 160 were found to be adulterated or misbranded within the meaning of the drug act.

An examination of the summary will reveal the fact that about onethird of the samples analyzed were milk and ice cream. The greater number of these were examined during the first two months of the fiscal year (July and August). At this time the Department gave increased attention to the milk and ice cream supply of the cities of both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The entire inspection force being divided into squads with instructions to note particularly the sanitary conditions under which these two products were produced and to submit samples of each product from every manufacturer and dealer in the principal cities of the state. Consequently a large number of both products were submitted and analyzed. Those taken in the Lower Peninsula were sent to the laboratory at Lansing for analysis while those taken in the Upper Peninsula were analyzed by one of the members of the Jaboratory staff at the temporary laboratories established at Marquette, in the chemical laboratory of the State Normal School and at Houghton in the chemical laboratory of the Michigan College of Mines. As these two articles, or at least one of them, forms a part of the daily diet of the majority of people especial attention should be given them at all times of the year, but perhaps more so during the summer months when a greater quantity of both are consumed.

The number of special inspections on various products have necessitated the analyis of a large number of samples of each product. Notable among these were soft drinks, candy, linseed oil, and mince meat, the results of which will be found in the appended report.

The drug act, unlike the laws covering other products, fails to provide for the publishing of the analysis of samples with a popular explanation of the same. Therefore, the 282 drug samples which were analyzed dur ing the year only appear in the general summary. It appears that this feature of the drug act is an important one and one that should not have been omitted. In order to attain the end sought and that the drug law may be of the most benefit to the consumer and to those who were responsible for its enactment it would seem that this feature should be changed. During the latter part of the last fiscal year and the first of the present

year the entire laboratory was remodeled and refinished; the working desks and apparatus being rearranged to facilitate economy in the time and convenience of the workers. Consequently a greater amount of work could be done in a shorter period of time. New and modern apparatus has been added from time to time as occasion demanded it, so that at the present we believe we have one of the best equipped and most modern laboratories for the nature of the work demanded in this section of the country.

For the greater part of the present year the laboratory force has consisted of three analysts beside myself. One analyst has devoted his entire time to the analysis of commercial feeding stuffs and linseed oils. One analyst has been constantly employed analyzing dairy products, etc., and another has devoted the greater part of the time to the analysis of drug preparations. The chief of the laboratory has looked after the examination of food stuffs and the checking up of analyses of samples on which prosecutions were to be brought. It has been the policy of the laboratory division of the Department to have each analyst, in addition to the regular work, carry on some research work along their respective lines. Each worker has derived considerable benefit from this kind of work beside a great deal of general information has been gained. It was while engaged in this kind of work that it was discovered that formic acid was being used as a preservative in some fruit products. Other experimental and research work has been completed during the past year by various members of the laboratory staff. Some of the subjects which have received attention are: An experiment to determine the variability of butter fat in ice cream, an experiment to determine the reliability of the modified Babcock test for the butter fat content of ice cream, an experiment to determine the keeping qualities of spirits nitrous ether and experimental work on the color value of vanilla extracts, beside considerable co-operative work with chemists of other states, having to do with the perfection of methods.

The act that established the Dairy and Food Department was passed by the Legislature in 1893 and has been amended from time to time. It now provides, among other things, for the appointment of a State Analyst, and an Assistant Analyst. In the past few years there has been no material change in this feature of the law. However an examination of the State Analyst report for the past ten years will show that there has been a material change in the amount of work carried on in the Department laboratory.

At present there is no provision in the law for the employment of more than one assistant chemist and one drug chemist, whose salaries are provided for. The steady increase in the amount of work, however, for the past few years has necessitated the employment of other assistants besides those named. These assistant chemists can only be paid out of the general appropriation and consequently their salaries are not adequate. I therefore believe it urgent and would recommend that this feature of of the Dairy and Food laws be changed. I believe it advisable that some provision be made for the employment of assistant chemists under their proper title and that a maximum salary be fixed for persons so employed, in order that we may start a worker on a small salary and as he becomes more and more proficient reward him from time to time, thereby furnishing some inducement for him to devote his utmost

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