who has only recently been in charge of the same since July 1, therefore it would be necessary to pass this dispatch to the department of agriculture in order to request reports from the chemical office of that department, which is the division which has intervened from the beginning in the analysis of those products. God guard your excellency. A. LANUSSE, Chief Official. BUENOS AIRES, July 31, 1907. Referred to the agricultural department for purposes indicated by the division of animal industry in its former report. P. EZCURRA. BUENOS AIRES, August 3, 1907. Referred to the chief of the chemical section for his information, as he should have for an antecedent the date sent by this division to the department of animal industry relative to the systems employed in the analysis of animal products. E. FYNN. BUENOS AIRES, August 6, 1907. CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE. DR. ENRIQUE FYNN: Authorized in September, 1903, to investigate the presence of boric acid or its compounds in salted meats prepared in this country, we studied on this occasion various methods indicated in the texts that treat of this matter, adopting one, with some modifications, which seemed to us easy and rapid and at the same time sure, and that, taking into consideration the satisfactory results obtained in other analogous cases, was taken as the official method to be applied to investigations referred to the chemical laboratory of the agricultural division. However, before examining the products submitted by the inspection of the cattle division we have again effected a series of experiments, with the object of proving once more the degree of sensibility of the said method, as well as its applicability to the various animal substances to be examined, and having confirmed these two points we have adopted it up to this date. The method hereby described consists in destroying by incineration the organic materials and in determining in the ashes the presence of boric acid by the color given with turmeric paper prepared for the purpose and which is peculiar to this material. The calcination is effected over an ordinary Bunsen burner in a nickel capsule of some 11 centimeters diameter, in which the meat or the other product to be examined is placed, adding a few cubic centimeters of a solution of soda or potash. When the organic matter has disappeared some cinders mixed with the ashes remain, which is pulverized with the end of a small rod, and a complete washing is then accomplished, this residue being treated several times with boiling water. The filtrate is clear and colorless. The presence of boric acid is determined in this liquid, concentrated to a 5 per cent solution, by previously adding hydrochloric acid. The commercial turmeric paper does not possess the sensibility required for these experiments, and it is therefore necessary to prepare it as need requires. For this purpose the pulverized commercial curcuma root is used, separating the resin which it contains by benzine, and finally dissolving the colored matter by alcohol. With the tincture thus obtained filter paper is saturated and left to dry. The turmeric paper, if well prepared, presents a lemon-yellow color, and with solution of boric acid at 0.25 per thousand gives a rosy coloring. This said coloring will turn blue if treated with a drop of carbonate of soda. If the rosy color is weak it can be accentuated by wetting repeatedly (two or three times) the same strip of paper in the liquid used for the experiment, leaving it to dry each time at a moderate temperature; if, in spite of this, the reaction with the turmeric is doubtful, it is convenient to eliminate the major part of the salts which accompany the boric acid in the solution to be experimented with. It is then treated with concentrated alcohol, which is separated by decantation by a small filter, washed several times, and the filtrate, weakly alkaline by sodium hydrate, is evaporated until dried. As has been indicated, in the residue, dissolved in a 1 or 2 per cent of water solution and previously acidified, the presence of boric acid is determined. It is also possible to observe the coloring of the flame by adding alcohol at 96° to the residue obtained in the foregoing operations and lighting it. As a proof, the transformation of the boric acid into methyl boric ether, which is separated by distillation, is sometimes resorted to. The apparatus adopted for this is invented by Juy and Dupasquier (Bul. Soc. Chem., 1895, I, p. 878; A. Carisot, Traité d'analyse des substances minerales, 1904, II, p. 622). The residue, free from sodium chloride, is then operated upon by washings in alcohol. The presence of boric acid in the distillation, concentrated to a 1 or 2 cubic centimeters and acidified, is then determined with turmeric paper. The coloration is not much more evident than before distilling, operations in the two cases being with the liquids at the same degree of concentration. This procedure is particularly useful in ascertaining the proportion of boric acid contained in the products examined. It should be stated that in the majority of cases the first method, without washing with alcohol, is amply sufficient to reveal even small quantities of boric acid if worked on 100 grams of the product to be examined, and, as has already been stated, the turmeric paper, well prepared, gives a clear characteristic coloring in the liquid of 0.25 per thousand. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, PABLO LAVENIR. YOUR EXCELLENCY: I transmit herewith the report of the chemical section setting forth the method employed in the laboratory of this division in determining the presence of boric acid in food substances. This procedure has been the subject of a previous study on the part of the writer. BUENOS AIRES, August 7, 1907. E. FYNN. AUGUST 9, 1907. To be returned with the report, as requested, to the ministry of foreign affairs Let the foregoing be communicated to the legation of His Britannic Majesty, and published. File No. 7661/28. No. 146.] The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé Wilson. ZEBALLOS. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to your No. 613, of September 25 last, transmitting a sample tin of Underwood's deviled ham from a lot in which Argentine officials claimed to have found boric acid in sufficient quantities to warrant its exclusion from Argentina, I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the analysis made by his department of the contents of the tin referred to. am, etc., [Inclosure.] ROBERT BACON. The Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of State. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: Under date of the 2d instant I acknowledged receipt of your letter transmitting a copy of a dispatch from the legation at Buenos Aires, and inclosing a small tin of Underwood's deviled ham which is supposed to represent the lot in which a chemist at Buenos Aires has claimed to find boric acid. I have had very careful examinations made of the meat in this tin, and the results are the same as those reported to you in my letter of October 26, 1907, after an examination of one of the larger tins of the same product. Boric acid is present in the meat, but only in the most minute traces, the amount being entirely too small to warrant the belief that this could have been added to the product at any time during the course of its preparation. The amounts of boric acid are only such as might be normally present in the spices and salts which are properly used in preparing deviled ham. I have, etc., File No. 7661/31-33. No. 149.] JAMES WILSON. The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé Wilson. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 6, 1907. 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. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1907. 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. a In compliance with your request, I hand you herewith a copy of the regulations governing meat inspection 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., a Not printed. W. W. HAYS. [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. File No. 7661/34. No. 151.] The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé Wilson. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 19, 1907. SIR: Referring to your dispatch No. 638, of the 6th ultimo, transmitting a copy of the Boletin del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores containing correspondence between the Argentine Government and the British legation in regard to the presence of boric acid in imported animal food products, and to previous correspondence arising from the rejection by the Argentine officials of some shipments of Underwood's deviled ham, I inclose herewith for your information and for communication to the Argentine Government a copy of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture concerning the methods of testing for boric acid used by the departments of agriculture of the United States and the Argentine Republic. I am, etc., ROBERT BACON. [Inclosure.] The Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of State. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, December 10, 1907. SIR: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, inclosing a copy of a dispatch from the legation at Buenos Aires and a copy of the Boletin del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, No. 107, with a translation of the same. After looking over the methods described in the Bulletin referred to we do not find that the methods used by the Argentine Republic are more delicate than those regularly in use in this department. It appears from their reports, however, that they are content to secure a qualitative test for boric acid and that they do not regularly attempt a quantitative determination. The qualitative tests for boric acid are extremely delicate, and this substance is found widely distributed in nature, especially in salt. It is therefore likely that the officials of the Argentine Republic would find boric acid present in most foodstuffs to which salt had been added. This would not mean that boric acid had been added as a preservative, however, nor that more than a trace of this substance was present in the food. I have, etc., JAMES WILSON. REGISTRATION OF THE CHILD OF A DIPLOMATIC OFFICER BORN File No. 4567/1. ABROAD. Chargé White to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Buenos Aires, January 7, 1907. SIR: I have the honor to report that, being very desirous that permanent record may be made in the United States of the birth of a son, of which my wife was delivered on August 9 last, and having no knowledge of any provision for the registration of the children of American citizens resident abroad in diplomatic capacity, I have with much hesitation ventured in the following manner to make a record of the same for the sake of possible future contingencies, to wit: I have had the birth of the child recorded at the civil registry (registro civil) in this city in the manner prescribed by the laws of this country for all its residents. Of this record I have had two copies made, which I have had certified to by the American consulgeneral in this city, Mr. Alban G. Snyder, as being true transcriptions of the record in question. One of these copies thus certified and accompanied by a translation I transmit herewith and respectfully request that the same may be given a place in the department's archives, not only as a permanent record of the fact of the birth of the child, but as evidence of the circumstances of his birth that constitute the same a birth within the territory of the United States. Should any provision for the recording of the birth of children of the diplomatic representatives of the United States exist, I beg to be informed of the same. I have, etc., File No. 4567/1. CHARLES D. WHITE. The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé White. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 15, 1907. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your unnumbered dispatch of the 7th ultimo, transmitting for record a copy of the official registration of the birth of your son and requesting information as to the proper method of recording the birth in foreign countries of children of diplomats. In reply I have to say that the department has no prescribed formality for establishing the citizenship of the foreign-born children of diplomatic and consular officers. Common notoriety and the ready proof of the fact in case of need are all that are necessary. The certificate of registry you send is, however, faulty, in that it does not state the official quality of the father as well as his nationality. It appears to follow the ordinary civil registry of birth and on its face, according to existing Argentine law, treats the child as an |