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general shops, from the supervision of the sanitary authorities in so far
as milk regulations are concerned, and the Bill should make it clear
that all such premises should be included.
The procedure for dealing with milk, which appears to be the
medium by which infectious disease has been caused, or is likely to be
caused, might lead to delay in circumstances in which prompt action is
of the greatest importance and might be simplified.
Among other matters the Bill provides that a warranty or invoice
shall not be available as a defence to any proceedings under the Food
and Drugs Act of 1875, so far as milk is concerned.
The Bill, when passed, should be of considerable value in securing a
cleaner and purer milk supply, if provision is made to ensure that it
will be put in force in rural districts.
Cream.—Thirty.two samples of fresh cream were taken, 31 of them
contained no preservative, and 1 had boric acid in the proportion of
36 grains per pound. The vendor was fined £6 and £1 10s. costs.
Forty.five samples of preserved creams were taken, and were found
to have the following amounts of boric acid per pound:—3.0, 3.5, 3.5,
3.5, 4.2, 5.6, 5.6, 5.95, 619, 7.0, 7.0, 8.67, 8.67, 8.67, 9.8, 14 0, 14.0, 15 0,
17.35, 17.85, 20.0, 20.4, 21.0, 214 9, 22, 22, 22 30, 22 68, 23.0, 23.0,
23.05, 23.54, 24, 24, 24.79, 2479, 26 03, 27, 28, 28, 28, 30.24, 34.70, 36
and 42 grains respectively.
Most of the preserved creams were sold in jars on which were labels
stating that the cream contained not more than 35 grains (.5 per cent.)
of boron preservative per pound. Proceedings were taken against the
vendor of the cream with 42 grains which was so labelled. A warranty
was proved, and subsequent proceedings were successfully taken against
the warrantor.
The Public Health (Milk and Cream) Regulations, 1912, of which
I gave, in my report of last year, an outline of their then proposed
provisions, are now in force.
The Regulations are designed to secure that no preservative shall be
added to milk, or to cream containing less than 35 per cent, by weight
of milk fat, at any stage from the place of production to that of delivery
to the purchaser.. In the case of cream containing over 35 per cent, of
niilk fat, the addition of boric acid, borax, or a mixture of these
preservative substances or of hydrogen peroxide is not prohibited by the
Regulations, but is subject to a system of declaration which is required
to be followed by all persons dealing with such cream for the purpose
of sale for human consumption. By this system (Part II of the
Regulations) it is intended that preserved cream as an article of
commerce shall in all stages be differentiated from cream to which no