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103
It will be observed that there has been, with the exception of two
years, a gradual decline in the Borough of the percentage of
adulterated samples.
Moreover, since 1907 the percentage of adulterated samples in
Finsbury has been less than that prevailing in London generally.
In October a resident bought some tinned salmon in the
Borough, ate part of it, and was shortly afterwards taken ill.
She visited St. Bartholomew's Hospital for treatment and here suspicion
was directed to the salmon. Accordingly another tin of
salmon of the same brand was the same day bought at the same
shop and analysed by the Public Analyst, who reported as
follows:—
"I received the sample of tinned salmon on October 4th, 1909.
On opening the can, the contents were found to be perfectly fresh,
no gas was given off, and the inner surface of the can was bright
and not discoloured. Preservatives were not found, nor were any
traces of tin, lead, copper, or zinc detected either in the liquid or
solid contents.
'' The salmon appeared to be normal.''
(Signed) "J. Kear Colwell. "
The original tin and the slight amount available of the salmon
originally impugned were inspected and examined by the Medical
Officer. The fish appeared to be sweet and wholesome and the
tin was not discoloured.
HOUSING.
No action was taken under the Housing of the Working Classes
Act in 1909. There are, however, in the Borough a few houses in
respect of which action may become necessary in a year or two.
At the present time the inspection of house property has been
reorganised in the office and placed upon a systematic anu continuous
basis.
The number of inhabited houses in the Borough in March,
1909 was 9,519, and of these 303 were let in two or more separately
rated hereditaments, the number of such separate occupations
being 5,087. In this calculation a block of dwellings is