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106 OFFICE WORK.
mental Committee (1899) on the Use of Preservatives as sanctioning the use of small amounts
of salicylates; but apparently the last sentence of that recommendation—" Its (i.e., the
preservative's) presence in all cases to be declared"—had been overlooked. In no instance
was there any mention of the addition of preservatives on the label. From one firm it was
ascertained that " lime juice" is imported in two forms—one mixed with the fruit pulp and the
other free from pulp. It was stated that in the latter sulphites might be expected to be
found, but that the other required no preservative, the vegetable acids in the pulp having
sufficient preservative powers. The Local Government Board is conducting an inquiry into
the method of manufacture of lime juice and the cordial.
Cream.—Of the 23 samples of cream taken during the year, 8 were of "cream " (i.e., fresh
cream), all of which were returned as " genuine," 3 were of cream not sold as " preserved cream "—
they were purchased prior to the new Regulations coming into force—and were found to contain
boron preservatives in amount equivalent to 4½, 10½, and 17½ grains of boric acid to the lb., and
12 were sold as "preserved cream" or "jug cream " (5 before and 7 after the new Regulations
were in force), all being returned as " genuine." In the case of the 5 samples sold prior to August
the report meant no more than that the addition of preservative had been declared and that the
amount of such preservative was not excessive.
On August 1st of last year the " Milk and Cream Regulations" were issued by the Local
Government Board. The Regulations have been made under Sec. 1 of the Public Health
(Regulations as to Food) Act, 1907. The Regulations prohibit the addition of any form of
preservative to any form of milk, but sanction the addition of borax, boric acid, or a mixture
of the two, or of hydrogen peroxide to cream containing not less than 35 per cent. of butter fat.
Such cream can only be sold as " preserved cream," and every receptacle containing such cream
must bear the prescribed label setting out the nature and amount of preservative added. No
limits of preservatives to be used are mentioned, although definite limits were recommended
in the Report by Dr. Hamill issued in 1899. Moreover, the standard of butter fat which was
suggested in that Report was 40 per cent., or 5 per cent. higher than that prescribed by the
Regulations. The local authority is required to afford any person contravening the Regulations
" an opportunity of furnishing an explanation in writing or otherwise " before instituting proceedings.
The penalty for an offence under the Regulations is £100.
OFFICE (CLERICAL) WORK.
The appended figures suggest the mass of work accomplished by the Clerical Staff, and
give but a very imperfect idea of the large amount of writing which is necessary, the bulk
of which cannot be set out in the form of statistics.
Letters received 5,006 (4,439)
„ despatched 4,638 (4,120)
Entries in Postage Rook 13,075 (11,700)
Cases of infectious disease entered
in Register (including consumption)
1,787 (1,151)
Notices sent re above and other
diseases 5,226 (4,582)
Births entered in Register 3,041 (2,845)
Complaints received 752 (875)
Plans dealt with 352 (348)
New openings in Journals 661 (710)
Disinfection Orders (duplicate) 2,655 (2,692)
Notices to abate nuisances 1,020 (1,291)
The figures in parentheses are the returns for 1911.
Daily returns of infectious disease notified are sent to the Metropolitan Asylums Board,
and weekly to the County Council, giving full particulars of the notifications of births and of
pulmonary tuberculosis.