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1899]
218
in milk-shops. 27, or 11.6 per cent., were adulterated. Notwithstanding
this fact, the analyses showed that their average composition
was higher than the Somerset House standard.
Somerset House Standard.
Fat 3.58 per cent. 3.0 per cent.
Solids not Fat 8.53 „ 8.5 „
Total Solids 12.11 „ 11.5 ,,
Railway Station Milks.—120 samples were procured and of these
only 1, or o.8 per cent., was adulterated. Their analyses showed a
very high standard of quality, compared with which the official
standard is absurd.
Somerset House Standard.
Fat 4.23 per cent. 3.0 per cent.
Solids not Fat 8.82 „ 8.5 „
Total Solids 13.05 „ 11.5 „
The figures, it will be noticed, are very much above the official
standard, and, consequently, these milks left a large margin for the
abstraction of fat and the addition of water. Indeed, it would be
possible to deprive them of 29.1 per cent, of their fat, and to adulterate
them with 3.6 per cent, of water, before they would come under the
ban of Somerset House. As a matter of fact, no prosecution is,
or rarely, ever instituted unless the adulteration reaches 5 per cent.,
because of the almost certainty that, should the sample be referred
by the Court to Somerset House for analysis, the government
analysts would declare their inability to discover adulteration. They
say that they are in a position to give a positive analysis of milk
that has been for several weeks (at least three, and sometimes four
and five or more) undergoing decomposition. The Public Analysts
do not agree with their contention, and consequently they are chary
in recommending prosecutions where the adulteration is less than
6 per cent.
As the composition of milk is at the present time a matter of
great moment, indeed, a Committee of Experts, appointed by the
Board of Agriculture is inquiring into the subject, I herewith
append the result of the analyses of the milks taken in Islington
since the fourth quarter of 1897.