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and annoyance arising from the use of steam whistles and steam
trumpets, and requiring the sanction of the Vestry to the use of such
instruments. A few applications were made under the Act and were
referred to the Sanitary Committee, who, deeming some of the
whistles a nuisance, were averse to the granting of such sanction.
The Vestry, however, overruled the decision of the Committee, and
granted its sanction in every case to the use of the whistles.
Another Act, though nominally placed under the administration of
the Metropolitan Board of Works, has, in consequence of the acknowledged
incapacity of the Board to carry out its provisions, been
referred to the Sanitary Officers by the Vestry. I refer to "The
Infant Life Protection Act, 1872;" a well iutentioned, but, as I
believe, totally inefficient Act for the prevention of unlicensed babyfarming.
The most important Sanitary Act of the Session, is the Act to
Amend the Law for the Prevention of Adulteration of Food, of
Drink, and of Drugs.
The Act of 1S60 for preventing the Adulteration of Articles of
Food or Drink—the provisions of which had been extended with
great stringency to drugs by the Pharmacy Act, 1868, was found to
be quite inoperative. It is hoped and expected that the new Act
will not likewise prove a failure.
As the law now stands:—
1. It is quasi-imperative on every local authority (whose
jurisdiction collectively extends over the whole kingdom) to
appoint a competent analyst, and inspectors to procure samples
for analysis. You have done your Sanitary Officers the honour
of electing them your officers under the Adulteration Acts.
2. Adulteration of two kinds is made illegal; firstly, the
admixture of an eatable or drinkable with a substance injurious
to health or poisonous ; secondly, the fraudulent
admixture of an article of food or drink in order to increase
its weight or bulk. It would appear that the admixture must
be wilful. In one respect, at least, the definitions of adulteration
are defective: the facing of inferior articles (as e.g. tea)
with substances not injurious to health, with the view of
giving a false appearance to an inferior article, does not appear
to be an adulteration. Nor does the Act forbid this most
unwarrantable procedure—the admixture of good article (say
cocoa) with many time its bulk of comparatively worthless
matter (as e.g. potatoe-starch), and enclosure of the whole in
a gorgeous wrapper, bearing in all cases utterly valueless
certificates of some analyst as to the quality of some sample
other than the one actually sold; provided that any words,
however misleading, be placed on the wrapper stating the
article is not the unmixed article; and I need hardly say,
that the vendor always avers that the article has been improved
by the manipulation practised.
3. All admixtures of drugs are deemed adulterations; and