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FOOD ADULTERATION. 103
In August last a letter was received from the Borough Council of Stepney relating to the
seizure and condemnation of tuberculous meat. The meat had been purchased outside the
Metropolis, and the Stepney Council had been advised that inasmuch as the purchase had been
completed outside the County of London, Sub-section 3 of Section 47 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, could not be applied. The Council stated that they had communicated the
facts to the Local Government Board, and had urged the Board to amend the law so as to make
the provisions of the Public Health Act, already mentioned, extend to foodstuffs purchased
outside the County.
There appears to be some question whether the fear that Section 47 (3) of the Act would
not apply in a case such as described. The wording of the sub-section is perfectly general—the
person " who so sold " is liable—and there is no limitation requiring the sale to take place
within the County. Moreover, Section 132 of the Act extends the provisions of the Act
(otherwise limited in its operation to the County of London) " to places elsewhere, so far as is
necessary for giving effect to any provisions " of the Act. Hence it would seem that for the
purpose of any prosecution under Sub-section 3 of Section 47, the provisions of the Act are
applicable outside the County. The Public Health Committee of this Borough were advised in
that sense, and did not endorse the action of the Borough Council of Stepney.
FOOD ADULTERATION.
The number of samples submitted to the Public Analyst during the year was 600, the same
as in 1911, the number found adulterated being 104, or 54 more than in the previous year.
The percentages of adulterated samples in each of the last five years have been, in
1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912.
9.2 2.6 8.6 9.0 8.3 17.4
The list of samples taken is given in Table 55. Of the 297 samples of milk, 80 were taken
at the Paddington Terminus in course of transit, under contract, at the request of the consignees,
many of whom had had samples examined previously by their own analysts, and found such
samples to be adulterated. Of the samples taken last year, 40 were found to be adulterated.
In 1911, 21 out of 110 samples taken in the same way were condemned. Last year's proportion
of adulterated "contract samples" (50 per cent.) was considerably higher than that noted in
1911 (191 per cent.). The comparison of the percentage of adulterated samples taken at the
station (see below) does not make comforting reading.
"Contract Samples" taken at Paddington Terminus.
Percentage found to be adulterated.
1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912.
30.6 32.3 6.4 24.3 14.9 19.1 50.0
Samples are taken from time to time on Sundays, and also on Bank Holidays. Last year
61 (62 in 1911) samples of milk were taken on Sundays, 4 (1 in 1911) being reported
adulterated. All the 10 samples taken on Bank Holidays were found to be genuine.
If the samples taken in the Borough—as distinct from those taken at the G.W.R. Terminus—
be considered, and the samples of lime juice, sausages, mincemeat, cream, and brawn (all of
which were returned as "adulterated" on account of the presence of preservatives) be excluded,
the proportion of adulterated samples was 3.7 per cent. last year, as compared with 2.4 per cent.
in 1911.