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36
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYST FOR 1951
I have pleasure in presenting a report on the work performed
in the laboratory for your Council during the year ended 31stDecember,
1951. In doing so, I deeply regret that the signature
of Mr. A. H. M. Muter, F.R.I.C., F.C.S., the Public Analyst,
will not be found at the conclusion of the report, as he died in
February. He had almost completed 40 years of service in that
capacity, though his connection with the Council was even longer
as he was Deputy Analyst for Dr. John Muter for some years. It
is interesting to recall that Dr. Muter became Public Analyst to
the Wandsworth Board of Work in January 1873. Thus father and
son were Public Analysts to the people of Wandsworth for a contiguous
period of more than 79 years.
I was appointed Deputy Public Analyst by the Council in
1941, and I have continued to act in this capacity during the year
under review.
By virtue of the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act,
1938, I have to report that 1,874 samples were examined under
the Act during the year ended 31st December, 1951, 1,658 and
216 drugs. All were submitted by your Council's Food Inspector,
680 having been taken with the formalities required by the Act
and 1,194 informally.
Samples of the following substances were analysed: bacon 17
samples; beverages (cocoa, coffee, etc.) 47; biscuits 39; butter 31;
cereals 78; cheese 33; cooking fat 29; fish, canned, 18; fruit, canned,
28; ice-cream 34; jam and marmalade 22; margarine 30; meat
products 31; milk 742; pickles and sauces 25; soup, canned, 33;
spices and condiments 24; sugar 30; tea 29; vegetables, canned, 53;
aspirin tablets 45; iodine solutions 29; laxative oils 40; ointments 53.