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In all cases of milk and cream samples submitted to the Public Analyst, an examination for
preservatives is made, and if any be found, the Public Health Committee consider the question of
instituting proceedings under the Food and Drugs Act, even though in the case of borax or boric
acid in cream the amount found be less than that allowed by the amending Regulations.
In February, 1922, a deputation from the Kensington Chamber of Commerce, which waited on
the Public Health Committee, called attention to the fact that whdst the Council's attitude is sound
in Law, the trader in Kensington, who is required to comply with the provisions of the Sale of
Food and Drugs Acts, is placed in an unfair position, compared with traders in adjoining boroughs,
where the sale of cream is governed by the Regulations of 1912 and 1917.
The Council in April, 1922, concluded that the present position is most unsatisfactory whether
regarded from the point of view of the Local Authority responsible for the administration of the
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, the trader, or the consumer, and they accordingly addressed a
communication to the Minister of Health urging him to institute forthwith the enquiry promised
by the President of the Local Government Board in 1917, in order that the Ministry might be able to
lay down a clear and definite pronouncement as regards the use of preservatives in cream which,
whilst being fair to the trader, should be consistent with the provisions of the Sale of Food and
Drugs Acts and protective to the health of the community.
A copy of the communication addressed to the Minister of Health was forwarded to the
Kensington Chamber of Commerce in order that they might, if they thought fit, make similar
representations. Also, communications were addressed to each of the other Metropolitan Borough
Councils inviting them to support the action taken by the Council.
Margarine and Butter Substitutes.—Under Section 9 of the Margarine Act, 1887, and
Section 7 (4) of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, manufacturers and wholesale dealers in
margarine and margarine cheese are required to register their premises with the local authority.
By Section 1 (1) of the Butter and Margarine Act, 1907, these requirements were extended to
butter factories and to the premises of wholesale dealers in milk-blended butter. The following
premises in the Borough are registered in accordance with the requirements of the above Acts:—
Lipton, Ltd. 210, Portobello Road.
„„145,Brompton Road.
E.C. Nicholls19,Church Street.
Pearks, Ltd. 165, Portobello Road.
Maypole Dairy Co., Ltd. 196, Portobello Road.
Home and Colonial Stores, Ltd. 136, Portobello Road.
„ „ „ 20, Chepstow Mansions.
„ ,, „ 71, Notting Hill Gate.
„ „ „ 171, Earl's Court Road,
„ „ „ 98, Golborne Road.
Pearks, Ltd. 76, Golborne Road.
Sale of Food Order, 1921.—This Order placed upon Local Authorities certain duties in
regard to—
(1) the sale of bread and tea by weight.
(2) the labelling of imported produce,
(3) the composition of jam and marmalade, dripping, margarine, and other edible fats.
The provisions of that part of the Order dealing with the sale of bread and tea by weight are
administered by the London County Council, but the Borough Council are required to enforce
the remaining sections of the Order.
Since this Order was published an Amending Order has been issued, which cancels certain
sections of the original, with the result that the only part now to be enforced by the Borough
Council is that which relates to the labelling of imported produce (lard excepted).
A further Amending Order, dated September 1st, 1922, removes bacon and ham from the list
of imported foods which must not be exposed for sale by retail unless they bear a label containing
the words "Imported" in letters easily readable by customers.
Under the Expiring Laws Act, 1922, Parts 1 and 3 (as now altered), together with the relative
clause of Part 6 of the Sale of Food Order, 1921, are continued in force until December 31st, 1923.
FOOD POISONING.
In November last, about 120 mistresses and girls attending a private school sat down to a lunch
which consisted of rissoles, potatoes, currant roll and rice pudding. Between tea-time and bedtime
on the same day 30 of the 120 fell ill with acute enteritis, the attacks varied in intensity, but
fortunately all the patients made a satisfactory recovery in a very short time. An exhaustive
enquiry was made and samples of the rissoles, on which suspicion fell, were forwarded to the
Government Bacteriological Laboratory, but no definite source of infection was discovered. The
general cleanliness of the school premises, including the kitchen, larder, kitchen utensils, etc., left
nothing to be desired, and the premises from which the various articles of food were purchased were
all very clean and satisfactory. All members of the school staff and also the shopkeepers who had
been in contact with the food were in good health and there was no reason to suspect that any one
of them was the cause of the trouble.