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274
1909]
the preceding 17 years being 10.5. There has thus been an appreciable
decrease in the milk adulteration as shown by the returns of the Public
Analyst. In considering these figures it must not be forgotten that the
Inspector obtained 98 informal samples, of which 12 were adulterated, and
that immediately afterwards official samples were taken of the same milks and
submitted to the Public Analyst. Thus it appears that 703 samples were
examined, of which 42 were adulterated, or a percentage of 5.9 per cent., which
is the most satisfactory record hitherto established in Islington. The samples
submitted to the Public Analyst were taken both at the railway stations on
the arrival of the milk trains from the country, from street vendors, and from
shops. They were also obtained on Sundays and weekdays, with the following
results:—
Sunday Milks. 159 samples were purchased, of which 14, or 8.8 per cent.,
were found to be adulterated. This is a slight decrease on the percentage of
last year, when out of 160 samples, 15, or 9.4 per cent., were sophisticated.
The return of this year is also remarkable from the fact that for the first time
for some years the percentage of adulteration has been above that of the
samples purchased on weekdays, in which the amount of adulteration was very
low.
Weekday Milks. Of 326 samples submitted to the Public Analyst, 22, or
6.7 per cent., were adulterated, as compared with 10.8 per cent. in 1908. There
has thus been a very large decrease among the ordinary weekday vendors of
milk adulteration. There can be no doubt that the proceedings against the
North Eastern Dairy Company, which obtained wide publicity, have had a very
considerable deterrent effect upon the milk vendors of the borough.
Farmers' Milks. 120 samples of milk were procured at the railway
stations from churns in the course of delivery, and of these, 6, or 5.0 per cent.,
were found to be adulterated.
This is a large increase on the usual adulteration of farmers' milks, which
is very low as a rule, and is to be accounted for by the fact that several of these
120 samples were examined on application being made by the consignees.
Nevertheless, as will be seen later on, the percentage of fat shown was
above the percentage of the milks sold on Sundays and weekdays.
The following is a summary of these several samplings:—
On Sundays 159, of which 14, or 8.8 per cent., were adulterated.
On Weekdays 326, of which 22, or 67 per cent., were adulterated.
At Railway Stations 120, of which 6, or 5.0 per cent., were adulterated.