View report page

269 [1906
ADULTERATION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
Not the least important of the duties undertaken by the Public Health
Department is that of protecting the public against the sophistication and
adulteration of foods and drugs. Formerly these adulterations were more or
less of a crude character, such as the addition of chalk to milk to hide its poor
quality, or the mixture of sand with sugar to increase its weight. These crude
methods have ceased, and science has been called more and more to the aid of
those who would evade the provisions of the Adulteration Acts. Consequently
the work of Public Analysts becomes more difficult and more laborious, for the
duty devolves on them continuously to devise new tests and means to defeat
the new trickeries. Notwithstanding these facts it is satisfactory to note that
prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts in Islington rarely break
down, and never because of the unreliability or the uncertainty of the methods
used by your Analyst, who during the last few years has had some severe
battles to fight in the Courts in cases of considerable public interest.
Samples Analysed.—1,190 samples of various foods and drugs were
submitted to the Public Analyst (Dr. F. L. Teed), for examination, with the
result that 111 (inclusive of 10 margarines), or 10.3 per cent., were adulterated
or did not comply with the law. This proportion is slightly in excess of that
of the two preceding years in which it was respectively 8.2 and 8.5 per cent.
It is not always possible to judge by percentages whether the increase is real
or only apparent, so much depends on the numbers of the different samples
analysed, on the diligence of the Inspector, and on the persons from whom the
samples are purchased. It must be remembered that many of the samples
are taken from persons who are suspected of unfair dealing, and that comparatively
few are purchased from firms or persons of acknowledged good repute,
and whose goods in past years have always proved to be genuine. Of course
if the contrary had been the case the figure of adulteration might sink almost
to zero.
Dairy Produce.
942 samples of dairy produce, among which is included Margarine, were
submitted to the Public Analyst for examination, and of these 96, or 1o.2 per
cent., were adulterated, as contrasted with 7.2 per cent. in 1905, 7.9 in 1904,
and 9.7 per cent. in 1903.