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116
Drugs.—31 samples of various drugs were taken during the year.
Two samples of ammoniated tincture of quinine were found to be deficient
in ammonia. One of these was purchased informally. A formal sample
was obtained and the vendor was fined £1 and ordered to pay £2 2s.
costs.
Fish Paste.—22 samples were taken. One sample was found to contain
0.16 per cent, of boric acid. As this was an informal sample and
no further sample of the same brand being available, no action was taken.
Meat Paste.—30 samples were taken. One was found to contain
50 parts of sulphur dioxide per million parts of meat paste. The vendor
of this sample was cautioned.
Mint Sauce.—3 samples were taken. The analyst reported on one
sample that 50 per cent, of the leaves were leaves other than mint. The
defendants admitted the possibility of there being a small quantity of
foreign leaves. The third portion was submitted to the Government
chemist who reported it to be genuine mint sauce. The summons was
therefore withdrawn. The obvious comment is that in dealing with a
substance of this sort where the liquid must be shaken before decanting,
it is impossible to ensure a uniform suspension of leaves in each of
three portions of the sample.
Spirits.—70 samples were purchased consisting of whisky, gin, rum
and brandy. Two samples of whisky proved to be below the legal standard
of 35° U.P. The vendor of one, which was 36.3° U.P. was cautioned ;
in the other case which proved to be 39.4° U.P. proceedings were
instituted and the vendor fined £5.
Regulation of Street Trading.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1927, provides
for the regulation of street trading by the issue of licences which must
be renewed annually. Special observation is kept by the Food Inspectors
on all stalls where food is exposed for sale and also the premises where
it is stored.
The number of stallholders licensed by the Council is about 350,
and about 200 of these handle foodstuffs. The number is continually
changing. As a result of constant supervision only minor infringements
of the byelaws occurred. These were promptly rectified when pointed
out by the Inspectors. Otherwise conditions were satisfactory.