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45
SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS
Circular letters were issued on 4 October to the railway and canal companies,
wharfingers, principal shop keepers and others inviting their co-operation. The Borough
Surveyor baited the Council's wharves, sewers, etc., very extensively. In November enquiries
were addressed as to the results of the campaign but the replies were not encouraging.
The Borough Surveyor reported the disappearance of all baits but no dead rats were
found. Certain of the larger firms and traders reported that they employed rat-catchers
all the year round.
In London the sewers are the abodes of rats, which in most instances gain access to
the houses through defective drains or sewer connexions. Special instructions were issued
to the Staff in July 1919 for dealing with complaints of rat infestation from householders.
During that year 36 complaints were received and dealt with by examinations from the
sewers of the house connexions, testing of house drains and the tracing out and
destruction of all rat burrows and runs.
In July, 1919, the "Rat Destruction Bill" (No. 86) was introduced in the House of
Lords to replace the Order of 1918. The Bill received Royal Assent under the amended
title of Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919" on 23 December following. The Medical
Officer of Health was appointed as "the officer" (Rat Officer) under the Act 15 January, 1920.
"Rat Weeks" were held on four occasions, viz.: 29 December, 1919 to 5 January, 1920;
23 February to 1 March ; and 1 to 6 November, the procedure already described being
again adopted, with, it may be added, practically the same results. During 1920 eighty
complaints from householders were dealt with, in nearly every instance, successfully.
"Rat Quit" is kept in stock by the Department for issue to ratepayers.
VII.—SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.
Sampling.—As usual 600 samples were purchased and analysed in each of the two years.
Of the samples examined in 1919, 31 (5T per cent.) were found to be adulterated, while of
those dealt with in 1920, only 5 (0'8 per cent.) were so reported. During 1909-13, the average
percentage of adulterated samples was 10'6, and in the next five years, 9.3. A complete
tabulation of samples and the results of analyses is contained in Table XXVII., Appendix.
Milk.—As in former years samples of milk figure largely in the returns, such samples
constituting 67.3 per cent. of all samples in 1919 and 55T per cent. in 1920. The percentages
of adulterated samples were—in 1919, 7.2 and in 1920, 1.2, as compared with averages of
113 per cent. during 1909-13 and 10.2 during 1914-18.
Records have been kept during 1920 of the composition of milks constituting normal
samples, viz.: those not returned as adulterated but excluding those which were taken without
proper precautions. The "normal" samples number 307—out of a total of 331 for the year.
The averages of the determinations of the 307 samples were - fat 3.69 per cent., total solids
12 45 per cent. The proportion of fat ranged from a maximum of 4.70 per cent. to a minimum
of 2.97, and that of the total solids from 13.84 to 11.43 per cent. The appended statement of
the averages for the four quarters of the year shows the lowering of the quality observed in the
spring quarter (April-June).
Qr.
No. of
Samples
Average
Fat
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Total Solids
Maximum
Minimum
1st 83 3.59 468 3.00 12.32 13.20 11.48
2nd 53 3.50 4.15 2.97 12.24 12.92 11.56
3rd 77 3.59 4.60 2.97 12.34 13.28 11.43
4th 94 3.95 4.70 3.20 12.78 13.84 11.72
The 307 samples included 44 taken at the railway station—22 in each of first and last
quarters of the year. The average contents of the 44 samples were—fat 3.38 per cent.
(Maximum, 4.42; minimum, 2.97) and total solids, 12.08 (Maximum, 13.20 ; minimum, 11.43).
The railway samples are taken only when adulteration is suspected. After excluding such
samples, the average composition of milk sampled in the retail trade is better than that already
stated.
All
Year
Rail
Retail
All
1st Quarter
Rail
Retail
All
4th Quarter
Rail
detail
Percentages of Fat 3.69 3.38 3.74 3.59 3.49 3.62 3.95 3.27 4.16
Total Solids 12.45 12.08 12.52 12.32 12.24 12.35 12.78 11.92 13.04
This last tabulation shows that the percentage of fat in milk sold by retailers fell from
3.62 in the first quarter to 3.50 and 3.59 in the second and third quarters and rose to 4.16 in
the fourth.