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34
Nothing, except the stipend paid by the Vestry, has
been received by me in connection with these analyses.
The results of the analyses are shown in the Table,
which is appended (vide page 48).
The four vinegar cases, Nos. 28, 36, 38, and 51, were
tenaciously defended by manufacturers standing in the
background. Ultimately, at my suggestion, the reserved
portions of the four samples were referred to the Government
Laboratory. The reports returned by the Government
Laboratory abundantly corroborated each of the
four analyses on which the Vestry of St. James's had based
their proceedings. Convictions followed in all the four
cases.
As these vinegar cases practically illustrate many of the
difficulties which arise in enforcing the Adulteration Acts,
some special paragraphs are here submitted in order that,
in any such future cases, the Vestry may have upon record
the materials for a full consideration of the course to be
adopted.
Vinegar is one of those articles for which there is no
legal standard. It is not now necessary that even beer
be brewed from barley and hops. Beer now may be
brewed from anything that can be made to ferment, and
it may be bittered and flavoured with anything which
can be made to serve as a "hop substitute." In the
phraseology of the brewing-room, the term "malt" has
been extended so as to include not only malted barley,
but also an extensive list of other materials which the
public do not in any sense regard as "malt." Similar
materials are now used for the brewing of vinegars, even
for some of those sold as " Pure Malt Vinegars."
In the manufacture of malt vinegars the first stage is
the same as in the manufacture of beer. The barley, more
or less of which has been previously malted, is mashed
with hot water, and the infusion thus obtained—" the
sweetwort"—is then mixed with yeast and made to