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the adulteration. There are some persons who go so far as to say
that alum is an improvement to the bread; but, in my opinion, the
alum is injurious, and certainly those who wish to get their bread
unadulterated should be enabled to do so.
$
Four Bakers, who were examined by the Sanitary Committee
on the subject, all admitted that bread would be very much better
without this ingredient, but that the public compelled them to use it,
by insisting on having a very white bread at a cheap rate. Nearly
all bakers use a small quantity of potatoes to assist fermentation.
These are not injurious, though not so nutritious as wheat flour.
The adulteration of all kinds of food, which are practised to an
incredible extent, are of themselves more than enough to engage
the time of one person.
Under the head of unwholesome food should be mentioned putrid
meat, poultry, and fish, the flesh of diseased animals, and decaying
fruits. Many of these things have been seized during the year by
your Inspector; but it is impossible for one man, with a hundred
other duties, to do much towards suppressing such a wide-spreading
evil as this is in so large a district as St. Pancras. It was only last
week that 13 quarters of stinking veal, about to be cut up for
sausages, were seized by the Inspector in Somers Town with my
sanction. The owner had the meat forfeited, and was fined 20s.
ABSTRACT OF SANITARY WORKS PERFORMED UP TO
MARCH 25th, 1857.
1550 places have been inspected and reported to the Medical
Officer of Health.
110 slaughter-houses visited (on the average 6 times each.)
With reference to 1007 places, notices have been served requiring
sanitary improvements. Of these notices 837 have been complied
with; 170, of which 87 have been served within the last month, have
not yet been fully attended to; many of them are however in progress.
Summonses have been taken out against 61 persons for nuisances
in 124 places. Of these only 6 have been lost, chiefly from disputed
ownership.
In compliance with notices,
337 houses have been repaired, cleansed, and whitewashed ;
329 cesspools have been emptied;
398 cesspools have been tilled up;