Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
This page requires JavaScript
80
In nine instances the vendor's attention was called to the result of
the analysis.
(b) Determination of milk-fat in cream sold as preserved cream was
reported in one instance only. The preserved creams purchased
were all thick creams.
(e) The regulations as to notice on menus have been observed.
(Article Y (1).)
(d) No infringements of Article Y (2) (labels on receptacles in transit
containing cream in bulk) have been detected.
3. Thickcning Substances.—The analysts have not reported the
presence of any foreign substances other than preservatives in any
of the milks or creams examined by them.
It would appear from the result of the analyses of preserved creams
in this and former years, that the maximum of boric acid allowed 0-5
(35 grains) is unnecessarily high. In the evidence given on behalf of
the trade in the case of McNair v. Cullen the utmost demand was for
0'5 of "preservative," by which was meant various compounds sold
under fancy names, and which contain other ingredients beside boric
acid. This amount of "preservative" contains only 0'3 per cent, (about
22 grains) of boric acid. In the 61 samples 45 did not exceed this
amount.
Butter.—Of the 289 samples purchased and submitted for analysis,
12 were found to be adulterated. Six prosecutions and five convictions
were obtained. The remaining adulterated samples, six in number,
were unofficial or "test" samples. Boric acid was found in most of the
samples, but was, in each case, under 0*5 per cent., which is the maximum
amount permitted.
Out of 18 samples of bread and butter two were found to be adulterated—one
contained 70 per cent, of margarine, and the remaining
sample was insufficient to allow of a complete analysis. The vendor of
the adulterated sample was fined £2 and 23s. costs.
From information supplied by the Board of Agriculture, visits were
paid to eight dealers receiving large consignments of a butter and milk
mixture which were then distributed to certain hotels and restaurants,
in some instances in the original packages, in others in smaller lots.
The original packages were properly labelled, but some of the divided
ones were not so. Unofficial samples were taken, and found to contain
an excess of moisture for butter, but subsequent official ones proved to
be under the limit allowed in such mixtures. The attention of the
dealers was called to the necessity for proper labelling.
A woman who did a considerable business going from house to house
in the West End selling what purported to be Devonshire butter was