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205
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
feature of the work done in connection with the Acts in question.
They are of necessity preventive measures and if the manufacturers
and wholesale dealers find that active steps are being taken
to abolish the use of such preservatives within fair limits, then
they must perforce adopt a different system in the preparation of
the goods.
Whilst referring to the subject of potted goods it may be
noted that in one instance where potted beef was asked for and
the article served was delivered in a tin bearing the label "Potted
Beef," it was found on analysis to consist entirely of bloater paste.
With regard to the adulteration detected under the heading
of confectionery and jam, viz.:—33 per cent., it must be borne in
mind that only three samples were purchased. Again, the sample
of black currant jam which was found to be adulterated was taken
owing to a communication received from the officer in another
Borough, but it was found that although adulterated with 75 per
cent. of apple pulp an ambiguously worded disclosure was attached
by label to the jar. This the Council's solicitor deemed sufficient
to protect the vendor, and advised that a conviction could not be
obtained.
Of the total number of samples taken, 799 or 78 per cent.
were purchased by deputies. The Inspector has had during the
year five female and four male assistants, as well as two young
girls and two boys.
It has been found necessary during the past year to procure
more supplementary samples than during the previous years, and
in several instances a person has been employed for periods ranging
from two to six weeks, obtaining goods at various shops prior
to an official sample being taken. This has been done with the
view of allowing the assistant engaged to become known to the
trader as a customer, but it seems to me to be desirable that some
arrangement might be made whereby these supplementary samples
could be roughly analysed in order that the Inspector could better
form an opinion as to the methods adopted by the trader in question.
Official figures relating to such test samples prove that the
informal samples thus taken afford a better indication of adulteration
than is given by formal sampling.