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242
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Butter and Margarine.
BUTTER.
389 samples of butter were submitted for analysis during the
year, of which 99 or 25.4 per cent. were reported against, compared
with 16.4 per cent. in 1911, 7.23 per cent. in 1910, and 5.23 per cent.
in 1909.
Of the 389 samples of butter analysed 103 samples were procured
officially, 31 or 30 per cent. were reported against, whereas
of those samples procured informally 68 or 23.7 per cent. were
found to be adulterated.
As in former years practically all the adulteration recorded
under this heading is really the substitution of margarine when
butter was asked for.
In 29 cases proceedings were instituted against the vendors
of the adulterated samples, and convictions obtained in each case,
the total amount of penalties, including costs, being £150 6s. 6d.,
•compared with £113 4s. 9d. in 1911.
In one case the vendor, who had been convicted 10 times for
offences under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, was fined £50 and
-costs, or in default two months' imprisonment.
Six samples were procured from itinerant butter hawkers and
five were reported against.
In three of the cases the vendors were prosecuted and convicted,
one defendant being sent to prison for six weeks as he was unable
to pay the fine inflicted.
In another case the vendor gave the Inspector a false name and
address and has escaped prosecution, while another absconded
immediately after the sample was taken.
In consequence of the difficulty experienced by the Inspector
in dealing with this class of trader, I presented the folowing special