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It will be seen that these percentages show a fairly close approximation
with those in the table above, the principal variations
being in the last two groups.
The inference to be drawn from the study of these tables would
appear to support the conclusions arrived at in the Report as a
result of inspections of houses and of the conditions known to exist
in other areas of the Borough.
CHUTER v. WOODING.
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The defendant, a local tradesman, was summoned under
Section 6 of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, at the instance
of the Borough Council for selling an article of food for human
consumption—to wit, Fairy Cakes—which contained boron preservative
expressed as Boric Acid to the extent reported by the
Public Analyst of 24.5 grains per lb.
After a protracted hearing the case was dismissed, the Magistrate
(Mr. T. Scanlan) holding that the presence of the boron preservative
in the quantity found on analysis was not, mixed with
food, injurious to health.
An application for costs against the Borough Council was
refused by the Court, the Magistrate stating that the prosecution
was very properly brought by the Council and was in the public
interest.
It will be of interest to remind the Health Committee of the
circumstances in which these proceedings were instituted.
In the fourth quarter of 1923, a summons was issued against a
tradesman in the borough for selling sponge cakes reported by the
Public Analyst to contain 23.8 grains of boric acid per lb. of cakes.
A conviction was obtained and the seller was fined £2 and £1 1s. 0d.
costs.
As a result, probably, of this conviction it became evident
that the sale of the cheaper varieties of sponge cake in Battersea
had declined and that the use of one of the principal ingredients,
liquid egg, which contains a considerable quantity of boron preservative,
had been prohibited, owing to an arrangement made by
the Bakers' Allied Trades Association, after discussion with the
Ministry of Health. Under this arrangement, the Association had,
in 1923, resolved that its members should sign a bond that in
future the sale of liquid whole egg should be under the following
conditions:—