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been imperfectly skimmed, the total solids have not fallen below
9 per cent., thus a sample containing 15 per cent, of fat and 7.5 per cent,
of milk.solids other than milk.fat would probably contain over 12 per
cent, of added water, but the total solids are up to the limit of 9 per cent.
The present regulations are intended to obviate these difficulties and to
facilitate the prevention of the adulteration of skimmed milk with
water.
The Board add that the fixing of the percentage at 8.7 may result
in some hardship in cases where the milk is imperfectly skimmed, thus,
if milk containing 3 per cent, of milk.fat and 8'5 per cent, of milk.solids
other than milk.fat is imperfectly skimmed so that 1.5 per cent, of
milk.fat remains, the proportion of milk.solids other than milk.fat will
rise only to 8.63 per cent., and they suggest that this point should be
taken into account by the Westminster City Council in considering the
question whether they should institute proceedings on the presumption
of adulteration based on the regulations in cases where the deficiency of
milk.solids other than milk.fat is slight, and the skimmed milk contains
a considerable proportion of milk.fat.
One of the vendors of the adulterated samples of skimmed milk was
cautioned ; the sample, in addition to being slightly adulterated, contained
boric acid to the extent of 37.2 grains of boric acid per gallon. In the
remaining case no action was taken.
Milk and Dairies Bill.—The President of the Local Government Board
introduced a Bill dealing with this subject, but as on several previous
occasions it was not proceeded with. Several provisions appear to
require amendment. The position of London boroughs under the Bill
is unsatisfactory, and it is undesirable that the Local Government
Board should have power to transfer by regulation the duties and powers
of sanitary authorities to the County Council. The definition of the
expression " dairy " is not satisfactory in view of the decision of the
High Court on the 21st October, 1912, in the Appeal Case of Spiers and
Pond, Ltd. versus Green. The appellants, who were tenants and
occupiers of a refreshment buffet and bar at a railway station in
London, sold a small quantity of milk for consumption on the premises,
the amount so sold averaging three or four glasses per week. The
appellants obtained their milk supply from a firm who undertook to
supply it guaranteed pure and to convey it to the appellants as they
might require. It was held that the appellants did not in respect of the
sale of the milk at their buffet carry on the trade of purveyors of milk,
and therefore that they did not require to be registered as purveyors of
milk under the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops Order, 1885, as
amended by the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops Order, 1886.
This decision will remove many small milk vendors who keep
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