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* Since 1904 a new system has been adopted, a special inspector being
appointed to carry out the duties under the Sale of Food and Drugs
Act, instead of, as formerly, several of the district inspectors doing
this work.
It will be noted that the percentage of adulteration (9.1) is
lower than in 1908, and is the lowest since 1900 and 1901. These
years do not bear comparison however, as the number of samples
now taken annually is double that taken in those years. The
results are relatively, therefore, of greater significance in 1909,
and would appear to suggest that the increased activity displayed
by the Council in the administration of these important Acts has
resulted in a satisfactory decline in the percentage of adulteration.
Of the total number of samples purchased during 1909, 672
(i.e., 67.2 per cent.) were milk samples. Of this number 60 (i.e.,
8.9 per cent.) were reported by the Analyst to be adulterated.
During 1908, 693 of the total samples purchased referred to milk,
74 (i.e., 10.7 percent.) of which were reported to be adulterated.
The number of milk samples taken shows a slight decrease
as compared with 1908, but owing to the importance of milk as
the staple article of diet for infants and invalids, and to the fact
that it is by far the most frequently adulterated article of food,
not less than two-thirds of the total number of samples taken
should be of milk, and this fact has been fully recognised in connection
with the administration of the Acts in Battersea.
The nature of the adulteration in the 60 adulterated samples
of milk was as follows:—
1. Extraneous water (37) varying from a minimum of 1 per
cent. to a maximum of 12 per cent., viz., 1, 1, 1, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5,
1.5, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3.5, 4, 4, 5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5, 7, 7, 7,
7, 8, 8, 8.5, 9, 9, 9.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.