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1909]
294
Since the inauguration of the purchase of preliminary samples, now two years ago, there has
been a very marked alteration in the method of selling the several articles under examination. It
is now the common practice where the genuine article is not tendered to proffer the substitute in a
package bearing a declaration which in most cases protects the seller from prosecutipn. This fact
makes it increasingly difficult to procure suitable samples for examination, and during the year
necessitated nearly 1,000 visits to shops for the sample testing work alone.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) TOM L. BURRELL,
Inspector.
It would be unfair of the Medical Officer of Health to conclude this section
of his report without a recognition of the excellent work performed by
Inspector Burrell under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
The Public Health Committee are fully cognisant of his ability and of the
wholehearted manner in which he has thrown himself into his duties. His
zeal may be better seen by the fact that of the 1,202 samples which were
submitted to the Public Analyst, 1,178, or 98.8 per cent., were obtained from
individual vendors, so that there was very little duplicate sampling. In
addition to the official samples, he obtained and examined for quality 471
informal samples, so that altogether 1,671 samples were obtained by him.
No other inspector has approached this figure, and it is doubtful if any inspector
in the country has done better work.
Mr. Burrell is particularly adapted by his attainments for an inspector
under these Acts, as he is an excellent microscopist and has a good knowledge
of the simpler methods employed for qualitatively examining many of the
commoner foods. As a result of his efforts, it is pleasing to think that the
Council obtained in fines and costs £434 11s. 6d. during the year, which is
the largest sum hitherto obtained in a similar period. The nearest approach
to this sum was obtained in 1901 when the fines and costs amounted to
£429 10s. Od.