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The adulteration which occurs in Finsbury, in common with other
places, is judged by this standard. Adulteration is generally one or
all of three kinds. First, water may be added, to increase the
volume of milk. Secondly, fat (as cream) may be abstracted.
Thirdly, preservatives may be added with the object of increasing
the keeping power of the milk. The object of The Sale of Food and
Drugs Acts, 1875-1899 (with the consequent appointment of Public
Analysts) is the detection, on behalf of the public, of these various
illegal adulterations of milk. If the adulteration is above a certain
degree the local authority may prosecute the offender under the
Acts.
Unsweetened condensed milk is often added to cows' milk when
a sudden call is made for an increased quantity. Some large
dealers are said boldly to add water to fresh milk if their supply
runs short. The Sanitary Authority, of course, only obtains indirect
evidence of this. If it is done, and the retail or wholesale vendor
detected, prosecuted and fined, the fine is almost invariably of so
small amount that a large profit will still be the result of the transaction.
On the whole there is evidence to show that the old and
grosser form of milk adulteration, by the addition of water, is
largely giving place to more refined methods of mixing " separated "
with " whole " milk, or in other ways reducing the quality of good
milk, so that it may just reach the admittedly low standard fixed
bv the Board of Agriculture in their sale of milk regulations.
The Finsbury Borough Council authorize a certain number of
samples of milk to be taken under the Acts and these are examined
by the Public Analyst (Mr. J. Kear Colwell, F.I.C.). The following
table gives the results obtained during the last ten years in the
area now incorporated as the Finsbury Borough:—