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271
[1909
How different this is to the state of affairs that existed only a short time
since, when hardly any of these people scalded their cans, although most used
warm water.
Bakehouses These have been dealt with in part 4 of this report, in connection
with the administration of the Factories and Workshops, which the
Medical Officer of Health has to report on specifically.
Kitchens of Restaurants and Eating Houses.—These also have
been dealt with in part 4 of this report.
Places where Ice Creams are made.—There are 230 places where
these articles of popular consumption are made in the borough, to which 167 visits
were paid by the district inspectors, who have found them generally in a fair
state. They are generally owned by Italians, some of whom cannot speak
English, or very little, but as the provisions of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1902, relating to such places have been translated into
their language, they understand the requirements of the law.
THE ADULTERATION OF FOODS AND DRUGS.
The work of the detection of adulterated foods and drugs was continued
during the year with unabated vigour, such work having always been carried
out in Islington with considerable energy and efficacy. During the years
1891-1908, some 15,449 samples were purchased under the Acts, of which
number 1,692 were adulterated, or 11.0 per cent. It is, however, difficult to
compare the results from year to year, for so much depends on the particular
articles purchased, some being much more frequently adulterated than others.
Samples Analysed in 1909.—The percentage amount of adulteration
detected in 1909 and that which was discovered in the preceding
18 years is very similar, as in 1909, out of 1,201 samples, 141 were discovered
to be adulterated, or 11.7 per cent. as against 11.0 per cent. in the former period.
Informal Sampling. These figures are not, however, altogether comparable,
for a very considerable amount of informal sampling was undertaken
last year, 471 foods having been obtained and examined by the inspector, of
which number 187 were genuine, while 109 were sold with printed or verbal
declarations, and 75, or 15.9 per cent., were adulterated or sold in contraven
tion to the Acts of Parliament. Of these 75, 45 official samples were subsequently
purchased and submitted to the Public Analyst in the usual manner,
of which he reported against 39. It may be noticed that there is a discrepancy
between the number of informal adulterated samples and those of them purchased
for submission to the Public Analyst. Thia is explained by the fact