View report page

175
The circumstances under which your Inspectors
were employed in taking these samples for the
Local Government Board is fully explained in
the following correspondence.
On the 10th August last, I received a communication,
as under, from the Secretary of the
Preservatives Committee, with whom I have been
in communication for some time past:—
"Local Government Board,
"Whitehall, S.W.,
"8th August, 1899.
"Sir,
"I am desired by Sir Herbert Maxwell to com"municate
with you in the following circumstances:—
"The President of this Board has appointed a
"Departmental Committee (with Sir Herbert Maxwell
"as Chairman) to inquire into the use of preservatives
"and colouring matters in the preservation and colouring
"of food, and to report (1) whether the use of such
"materials, or any of them, for the preservation and
"colouring of food, in certain quantities, is injurious to
"health, and if so, in what proportions does their use
"become injurious; (2) to what extent and in what
"amounts are they so used at the present time.
"Having regard to the importance of the inquiry thus
"entrusted to them, the Committee are very desirous of
"receiving information as to the names, nature, and
"amounts of such preservatives and colouring matters