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1910]
282
fourteen days, and in the interval the Inspector under the Adulteration Acts
was sent down to the farm to obtain samples of the milk from the bulk which
was about to be forwarded to London. He saw that milk delivered at the
country station. On its arrival in London samples were obtained by another
inspector from the churns, and finally after the milk had been taken away from
the station to the vendor's premises, and while in course of delivery to his
customers other samples were obtained by two inspectors. The results of the
analyses of all these samples was that the fats, and solids not fat, contained
in the samples obtained at the farm and those obtained in Finsbury Park
Station were identical, while those obtained in the street in course of delivery
to the vendor's customers showed an abstraction of 20.4 per cent. of fat. He
had skilfully reduced the fat content to nearly the minimum standard. When the
matter was carefully gone into by the Public Analyst he found that he was
bound by the official minimum standard, and, therefore, could not give a certificate
to enable a prosecution to proceed. It has been conceded by everyone
who has a knowledge of the law that the position taken up by the Public
Analyst was perfectly correct, and strange though it may appear, although it
could be proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that this man adulterated the
milk, no prosecution could follow. This was to be regretted, because the
object of taking the samples was for the purpose of rebutting the evidence that
it was perfectly well known he would give, having relied on a warranty, that
he or his servants had not adulterated the milk; or in case such evidence would
not be allowed, to issue a fresh summons against him. The result was that
evidence as to the adulteration of a sample of milk obtained subsequent to
the issue of a summons could not be produced against the defendant, nor
could a prosecution be undertaken for adulterating the milks which had been
reduced to the minimum official standard. Thus a milk vendor escaped punishment
for his undoubted wrong-doing. Such a state of the law is most
deplorable, and in the interests of all honest traders, and more especially in the
greater interest of the public generally, an end should be speedily put to such a
state of affairs.
The subsequent Table gives the results of the examination of all the milk
analysed in Islington, whether obtained on Sundays, week-days, or at the
railway stations in course of delivery:—