View report page

167 [1898
Boric Acid as a Preservative.—One of the questions of the
hour is undoubtedly whether it is right or wrong to use this preservative
for the purpose of keeping milk, butter or other foods from decomposition.
At present boric acid is used as a preservative for nearly every
perishable article that is used for human food. Thus, it is added to
milk, butter, fish, bacon, hams, meat. So much, indeed, is it used,
that it would not be safe to affirm that it is not unknowingly
consumed at every meal in some one or more of the foods that are placed
on the table.
Its addition to milk or other foods has never been the subject of
a prosecution in Islington, although it has been known to have been
added to various articles that were examined, and indeed was present in
118 milks out of the 323 tested for it.
It has always been felt here that some authoritative pronouncement
should be made on the subject by the Local Government Board after
careful inquiry into the whole subject, more especially as medical men
have given evidence for and against its use. It is understood that this
question is at present engaging the attention of the Government and
that a Special Committee has beeu appointed to make a full investigation.