View report page

13
The next question of the greatest importance to a Sanitary
Authority and its Officers is that of the food supply.
It is customary to refer to this subject as though Unsound
Food and Adulterated Food were one and the same thing.
There is, of course, a most essential difference in the powers
and procedure, which are not only quite separate and distinct, but,
in fact, obtained under two different Statutes.
The power of " Inspecting" the meat and other foods deposited
in the shops, or on stalls, etc., for the purpose of sale, and for
"Seizing" any that appears to be unsound, unwholesome, or unfit for
the food of man, are contained so far as London is concerned in
Section 47 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
The powers and procedure for taking "Samples" of food for
analysis—milk, butter, etc.— are given by a series of highly technical
and, in several respects, contradictory measures known as the Sale
of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 to 1907. The first of these was
passed in 1875, and to use a complimentary expression, they have
been "amended" on several occasions since, up to and including the
Act of last year.
It is doubtful in whose interests these "amendments" have
taken place, but one may say with absolute certainty that the
various alterations are not in the end in the interests of the poorer
class of purchaser who still seems to be left as fair game for the
fraudulent sophisticator of food under various fancy legal phrases
and devices.
For convenience, we will deal with these two branches of the
same subject separately, taking first the
Food Supplies.
Powers and
Procedure.