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809 [1911
THE ADULTERATION OF FOODS AND DRUGS.
Samples analysed in 1911.—During the year 1,200 samples were
examined, of which 1,105 were genuine, and 95, or 7.9 per cent., were
adulterated or sold contrary to the provisions of the Adulteration Acts. This
is the lowest percentage of adulteration since 1907, when 6.7 per cent. were
reported against by the Public Analyst, and it also compared with an average
of 11.4 in the twenty years 1891-1910.
The detection of adulteration is becoming more and more difficult, and is
due in the first place to the astuteness of the vendors of adulterated articles;
and in the second to the more highly scientific means now practised. In the
latter case, however, the adulteration is effected by the original makers of the
article or by the wholesale vendors. It has been pointed out in preceding
reports that the vendors of milk "tone" it, or, in plain English, adulterate it,
with separated milk; but they take great care that they do not " tone " it
below the standard set up by Somerset House. The addition of separated
milk to new milk has become almost a fine art with some milk purveyors,
who, although they are known to receive large quantities of separated milk
which they do not sell, yet mix it so skilfully that it is impossible to bring them
within the four corners of the Adulteration Acts.
The Medical Officer of Health has in his mind, as he writes, several firms
who daily receive two or more churns of separated milk; who do not sell that
milk ; who are known to add it to the whole milk which they subsequently sell,
and although samples have been taken from them again and again, yet their
analyses have failed to show what they had done. There can be no gainsaying
the fact that at the present time there is no fraud, or one so inimical to
the general health interests of the community, especially of the children, which
calls so loudly for legislative measures with which to put an end to it. The
Medical Officer of Health has before now made suggestions as to what should
be done; he believes the Government Departments are fully aware of what is
going on, and that they are anxious that this fraud should be put down. But
there the matter ends, for neither the Minister of the Board of Agriculture or
the Local Government Board have yet introduced a Bill into Parliament to
put an end to the wholesale fraudulent dealings that are daily practised with
respect to milk throughout the country, especially in the large towns. It
should be made a penal offence for any person, master or servants, either to
tone the milk themselves or to assist in toning it by the addition ot separated
milk, because it is as much a robbery to reduce the fat contained in the milk