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223
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
two colours, and after some hesitation the vendor did as requested,
placing the piece on the slab and chopping off the darker
portion of the piece, which afterwards proved to be margarine.
The Inspector, not being satisfied with the method adopted by the
vendor, procured a sample by cutting off a slice, sufficient for
analysis, which coutaiued the two substances, and this on analysis
proved to be equal parts of butter and margarine.
It was obvious that this substance was being sold as butter,
and being so placed it was within the power of the vendor to
manipulate the proportion of margarine and butter according to
the customer.
The defendant, who was ably defended, was convicted and
fined £5 and costs.
It is satisfactory to note that in no case during the year has
any sample of butter been reported against owing to excess of
moisture, or to the presence of a preservative.
Cheese.
Five samples of gorgonzola cheese were taken, and in four
of them it was found that the rind contained a certain amount of
barytes and tallow, varying from 15 to 25 per cent. The vendors
in these cases were warned and no proceedings were taken.
Lard.
During the year a memorandum was received from the Local
Government Board drawing attention to the sale of lard substitutes
as lard. The memorandum stated that it is desirable to
direct special attention to the sale of this article, on account of
the increase which has lately taken place in the importation of
lard substitutes into this country, and of the marked difference in
the price of these substitutes compared with genuine lard.