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This decrease is not general throughout England and Wales, where, after
falling from 21.1 to 10.6 in 24 years, it has shown a tendency to rise of
recent years, thus:—
1900 10.8 per cent.
1901 11.2 „ „
1902 11.6 „ „
It is too much to hope that milk adulteration will ever be entirely stamped
out as the article lends itself so readily to sophistication. It therefore only
remains for us to use every endeavour to reduce it to a minimum.
That milk adulteration is mostly done deliberately by the wholesale dealer
or retailer is shown by the results obtained by the examination of a number
of samples collected at railway stations in November and December last, before
delivery to the consignors, these, almost without exception, being found of
excellent quality. At the request of the "Dairy Trades and Can Protection
Society" arrangements were made in each case for their representative to be
present when the sample was taken. The results of analysis appended show
that the average of fat is 4.10 as compared with the average of 4 per cent. of
the samples taken in 1902 and the Board of Agriculture standard of 3 per cent.
With regard to milk supply, however favourably the City may compare
with other places, it is certainly discreditable that 7.7 per cent., or 1 in every
13 samples purchased in the district last year, was either impoverished,
adulterated, or both.
It is fair to mention, however, that this figure would have been much lower
but for one disturbing factor—the stranger within our gates, viz., the alien
trader. This fact has been clearly established from a detailed examination of
the returns, which disclosed that in the case of milk samples purchased in the
City from foreigners last year, 11.1 per cent. or 1 in 9, were adulterated,
against 6.1 per cent., or 1 in 16, taken at shops kept by natives, while in the
case of all samples taken during the year the percentage of adulteration was
4.64, or 1 in 12, amongst foreigners, as compared with 8.4, or 1 in 21, of our
own people. These facts are instructive as bearing on a question that is much
exercising the public mind.
So long as offenders are awarded light penalties, so long will adulteration
flourish, because it will pay. As an illustration, it may be mentioned that in
164 convictions in England and Wales in 1902, the fine did not exceed 2s. 6d.,
77 being of 1s. and under.
Remove the profit while increasing the hazard of detection by frequent
sampling and active enforcement of the Act, and offenders will be scarce.
Speaking generally, the penalties imposed in this country are inadequate.
We have it also, on the authority of the Local Government Board, that they
have from time to time received complaints as to this from Local Authorities.