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The number and variety of the articles liable to sophistica-
tion in this way appears to include almost everything most usually
dealt in, but it certainly behoves purchasers who desire to have a
pure food supply, and to really obtain the article asked for, to
beware of purchasing Water and Milk, for Pure Milk; Margarine
and Butter (and generally a far greater proportion of Margarine
than Butter), for Butter; Lardene (cotton seed oil, &c.), for
Lard; Cocoa, &c., &c., for Cocoa; Dyed Crystals, for Demerara
Sugar; Coffee and Chicory, for Coffee; Spirits already well
diluted with water, for Spirits; Mustard and Starch, &c., for
Mustard; Pepper and ground Olive stones, for Pepper; and
Baking Powder containing Alum, for Baking Powder; which list is
only mentioning a few of the more common articles.
The efforts of the Public Health Committee to counteract this
evil, or call it, unfair trading if you will, have resulted in persons
being fined for the occasions when they have been caught, to the
extent of £76 5s., and having to pay costs to the extent of
£21 7s. 6d.
I certainly think that the decision of the Committee to have
a larger number of samples taken is amply justified by the magni-
tude of the evil at present disclosed, and fear that 300 samples
per annum, which is the number now to be taken, will not be any
too many to effectually check the practise.