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Report of the Medical Officer of Health. 179
This increase will, however, be found upon examination to be
principally due to the abnormal amount of adulteration which has
been detected in the samples of milk taken. In 1902 only 23
samples of milk, or 10 per cent, of the total number taken were
reported adulterated, while in 1903 65 samples, or I7'2 per cent,
were reported not to be up to the standard of the Board of Agriculture.
Samples of milk were taken at the Public Institutions in the
Borough, at the various railway stations, and in course of transit
from the farmers to the retailers during the year.
That the adulteration has not been entirely confined to the
retail milk vendors the following Table shows.

51 samples of milk were taken on Sundays in the early morning,
six of which, or 9 8 per cent, were reported to be adulterated.
It is satisfactory to be able to report a decided improvement
in the percentage of adulteration in the samples of butter submitted
for analysis, the figures in 1902 being 8'6 per cent, and in
1903 it has dropped to 4'4. This is a large measure due to the
state of the Butter market throughout the year. The past year has
has been an exceptional one as Butter was purchased by the
Inspector at ninepence per pound and such Butter was certified by
the Public Analyst to be genuine.
Under the heading of Grocery the percentage of adulteration
has gone up from 2'2 per cent, in 1902 to 13 82 in 1903. Of these,
eight samples, or 8' 5 per cent, of the total number of grocery
samples adulterated, were Coffee.