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236
1903]
Proportion of adulteration.—Of the 1,016 samples of food that were analysed
118 were adulterated, or 11.6 per cent. This is a smaller percentage than
obtained on the average of the preceding ten years, when it amounted to 12.3.
It is very difficult to make a comparison between one year and another with
respect to adulteration, because unless the articles that are analysed are similar
to those examined in the preceding years, the results are apt to be
misleading. Thus, for instance, if a large number of Demarara sugars had been
procured the percentage of adulteration would appear to be large because it has
been found that the fraud of substituting "yellow crystals" for that article is
still very largely practised, especially by very small dealers. Thus in 1902 it was
found that 64.7 per cent., and 1903 45.9 per cent., of the samples of that sugar
were not genuine.
The Inspectors' Work.—The samples are taken both by your district
inspectors and by an inspector (Mr. Ward), who devotes at least half his time
to this duty. The district inspectors' work has been chiefly confined to procuring
samples of milk at the Railway Stations where it is a rare thing to find
an adulterated sample, and on Sundays from itinerant vendors. They were
compelled, however, to take other samples during the fourth quarter, as it was
impossible for Mr. Ward with his other duty of inspecting houses let in lodgings,
to procure the increased number that it had been decided to have analysed
in that quarter.