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78
Several samples of British wines were found to contain small
quantities of salicylic acid, varying from 1½ to 3½ grains per pint.
As to Giving Cautions.—The Council received a letter from the
Local Government Board, referring to the reports of the Public Analysts
for the City for the year 1903, and the prosecutions taken in respect of
adulterated samples during that period, stating that while 192 samples
of food and drugs were reported against by the analysts, legal proceedings
were taken as regards 55 samples only; that in 133 out the remaining
cases cautionary letters were addressed to the vendors, and asking, with
a view to extending their information as to the practice of Metropolitan
Borough Councils in regard to adulterated samples, to be informed of
the reason why no prosecutions were instituted by the City Council in
the 137 cases referred to.
The reply of the Council stated that it was principally on the
ground of the smallness of the adulteration that the Public Health
Committee refrained from ordering proceedings, especially with regard
to samples of adulterated milk, in which cases it had been learned from
experience that it was generally understood that the magistrates were
loth to convict in cases where the adulteration by the addition of
water was slight; that in determining whether prosecutions should be
instituted due regard was not only given to the extent of the adulteration,
but allowance was made for the possibility of slight variation which
might have occurred in the result of the analysis. Further, that it was
not the wish of the Council to deal arbitrarily with vendors of
adulterated samples in the City, and that where the adulteration was
small, and it happened to be the first time that a particular vendor had
thus offended, a warning to the vendor was considered to be the right
course to pursue; also that it was the practice to cause a further sample
to be purchased of a vendor who had previously been cautioned in
respect of an adulterated sample.
Particulars of cases in which proceedings were taken are appended:—