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293
[1910
he made an inspection of the premises, which resulted in the discovery of
verdigris on a copper coil that was used for boiling the sauces in a large vat.
This coil was clamped with wooden supports, but was clean, and he was
assured that it was regularly scrubbed after use. He, however, had the
wooden clamps, which held the copper coil together, unscrewed, with the
result that on that part of the coil protected by the wood there was a
considerable deposit of verdigris. He had no doubt that this was the cause
of the contamination.
The owner of the business, who gave him every facility to examine the
works, issued immediate orders to have these wooden clamps so altered that
they could be easily unfastened after each use, and the Medical Officer of Health
has no doubt that in future there will be no contamination from copper.
Pork Sausages.—Among the articles examined were seven samples
of pork sausages, one of which was reported as containing an excessive amount
of boracic acid. When the certificates were received from the Public Analyst
the Medical Officer of Health presented the following report to the Public
Health Committee:—
To the Chairman and Members of the
Public Health Committee.
Gentlemen,
Pork Sausages.
Recently several samples of pork sausages were purchased for analysis,
with the result that small quantities of preservatives were found in all.
In one case when a vendor discovered that it was intended to analyse the
sample, he said "There is no pork in it; you do not expect to get pork
at 5d. per lb." Thus sausages sold as pork sausages according to him
might contain meat other than pork.
This sample, like the others, with one exception, was sent to the
Public Analyst for analysis, and returned as genuine, the reason no doubt
being that it is practically impossible to differentiate between the several
classes of meat, particularly when chopped up so fine as it is in sausages,
and cooked.
In one case the Analyst has returned the sausages as containing 59.5
grains of boracic acid per pound. Now this amount is excessive and on
looking through my notebook, I find a note to the effect that the manufacturers
of sausages in the United Kingdom never use more than 35 grains