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analytical work.
samples proving to be adulterated varies from year to year, as will be seen from the statement
given below.
Station Samples.
Percentage adulterated.
1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1903.12. 1913.
6.4 24.3 149 191 50 2294 487
Samples are taken at irregular intervals on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Last year 59
samples were taken (all on Sundays), 4 of which (6.7 per cent.) being reported to be adulterated.
In 1912 the proportion was 6.5 per cent. Excluding the samples taken at the Railway Terminus
the proportion of adulterated samples of milk obtained in the Borough was 61 per cent. Of the
342 samples other than milk, 31 (equal to 9.0 per cent.) were found to be adulterated.
It will be seen that the proportions of adulterated samples were particularly high in certain
commodities, e.g., vinegar, jams, sausages, brawn, etc. In the case of the vinegar, certificates of
adulteration were returned when the amount of acetic acid present was less than 4 per cent., that
being the proportion which the representatives of the trade have agreed ought to be present in
genuine vinegar. As, however, there is no legal standard, no action was taken with reference to
the samples in question. In the jams, adulteration consisted in the admixture of fruit pulp
(usually apple pulp) other than that belonging to the fruit from which the jam was made.
Proceedings against one vendor were unsuccessful, as he was able to produce a warranty, as
also were proceedings against the giver of the warranty. Attention should be directed to the
unsuccessful proceedings with respect to samples of camphorated oil and coffee. With
regard to the former—a pharmacopœial preparation, but containing 18 and 23 per cent, less
than the prescribed amount of camphor—the defence was a warranty. The sample of " coffee "
was found to contain 66 per cent. (two-thirds) chicory. The defence was taken up by the
wholesale firm, who contended that the mixture had been sold by them as " French coffee," and
that following the case of Otter v. Edgeley (1893) any amount of chicory could be added.
Preservatives in Food.—Appended is a complete list of the food-stuffs, other than milk
samples, which were found to contain preservatives, with the amount thereof present in each
case.
Lime Juice Cordial 3 grains of Salicylic Acid per pint.
,, 6½ ,, ,, ,,
,, 6¾,, ,, ,,
Brawn 2¾ ,, ic Acid per pound.
,, 6¼ ,, ,, ,,
,, 12½ ,, ,, ,,
,, 8 4/10 ,, ,, ,
Sausages 4¼ ,, ,, ,,
,, 16¾ „ „ „
,, 8 4/10 ,, ,, ,,
,, 49/10 ,, ,, ,,
,, 61/3 ,, ,, ,,
German Sausage 7¾ ,, „ ,,
,, 84/10 ,, ,, ,,
,, 10½ ,, ,, ,,
It is almost useless to institute proceedings in such cases as these, as it would be
necessary to proceed under Section 3 of the Act of 1875; that is to say, to satisfy the
magistrate that the amount of preservative found was injurious to health. That is a task of
some difficulty in any case, especially when the amount in any individual sample is relatively
small. Expert evidence to the contrary can always be adduced. The fact of preservatives