File No. 7661/31–33.

The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé Wilson.

No. 149.]

Sir: In further reply to your dispatch No. 630 of October 17 last, in which you request, for communication to the Argentine officials concerned in the rejection of shipments of Underwood’s deviled ham, copies of the regulations of the Department of Agriculture in relation to boric acid in meat products, and copies of the records of its analyses of the samples of Underwood’s deviled ham which have accompanied your dispatches on the subject, I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the Acting Secretary of Agriculture inclosing reports of the analyses of the samples of ham referred to, and a copy of the regulations governing the meat inspection of the United States Department of Agriculture (Bureau of Animal Industry, Order No. 137).

I am, etc.,

Robert Bacon.
[Inclosure.]

The Acting Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of State.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant inclosing copies of two dispatches from the legation at Buenos Aires concerning the presence of boric acid in Underwood’s deviled ham, and requesting that your department be furnished with a copy of the regulations of the Department of Agriculture governing the use of boric acid in meat food products, and also copies of analyses made of the samples of deviled ham submitted by the legation at Buenos Aires.

In compliance with your request, I hand you herewith a copy of the regulations governing meat inspectiona and refer you to regulation 39, which deals particularly with the use of preservatives in meat food products. You will see from this regulation that boric acid is not permitted to be used. I may say, however, that as boric acid is very widely distributed in nature, the department necessarily takes cognizance of this fact, and the presence of mere traces of this substance is not regarded as sufficient to warrant the condemnation of a foodstuff.

I also inclose a report of the analyses of samples of Underwood’s deviled ham which were transmitted by you under date of October 21, 1907, and October 31, 1907.

I have, etc.,

W. W. Hays.
[Page 37]

[Subinclosure.]

[Copies from records of the Bureau of Animal Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.]

analyses of samples of underwood’s original deviled ham received from the honorable secretary of state.

Sample No. 1350.—Received October 23, 1907, accompanying dispatch No. 606. Can unopened; upon opening contents were found to be clean and in good conditoo small to be determined quantitatively, and not greater than the amount which might be present normally in the substances used in the manufacture of this product.

Sample No. 1351.—Received October 23, 1907, accompanying dispatch No. 606. Can unopened; upon opening contents were found to be clean and in good condition. Analysis showed a mere trace of boric acid, not exceeding that found in sample No. 1350.

Sample No. 1401.—Received November 2, 1907, accompanying dispatch No. 613. Small can; weight about one-eighth pound unopened; upon opening the contents were found to consist of good clean meat having a spicy odor. Analysis showed this product to contain a mere trace of boric acid, the amount being much too small to be estimated quantitatively and not greater than might occur normally in the substances from which the product was manufactured.

  1. Not printed.