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shall be deemed to be so deficient in some of the normal constituents of milk as to raise the presumption,
until the contrary is proved, that it is not genuine.
The Committee beg further to submit the following expressions of opinion on points raised before
them in evidence—
(а) That it is desirable to call the attention of those engaged in the administration of the Food
and Drugs Act to the necessity of adopting effective measures to prevent any addition of water
separated or condensed milk, or other extraneous matter, for the purpose of reducing the quality of
genuine milk to any limits fixed by regulation of the Board of Agriculture”
(б) That it is desirable that steps should be taken with the view of identifying or " ear-marking
separated milk by the additional of some suitable and innocuous substance, and by the adoption of
procedure similar to that provided by section 7 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1899, in regard to
margarine. .
(c) That it is desirable that, so far as may be found practicable, the procedure adopted in
collecting, forwarding and retaining pending examination, samples of milk (including condensed milk)
and cream under the Food and Drugs Acts should be uniform.
(d) That it is desirable that, so far as may be found practicable, the methods of analysis used
in the examination of samples of milk (including condensed milk) or cream taken under the Food and
Drugs Acts should be uniform.
(e) That it is desirable in the case of condensed milk (other than that labelled " machine-skimmed
milk " or " skimmed milk," in conformity with section II. of the Food and Drugs Act, 1899), that the
label should state the amount of dilution required to make the proportion of milk-fat equal to that
found in uncondensed milk containing not less than 3 25 per cent, of milk-fat.
(f) That it is desirable in the case of condensed whole-milk to limit, and in the case of condensed
machine-skimmed milk, to exclude, the addition of sugar.
(g) That the official standardising of the measuring vessels commercially used in the testing of
milk is desirable.
The regulations made by the Board of Agriculture and which came into force in September,
1901, were as follows—
Milk.
1. Where a sample of milk (not being milk sold as skimmed, or separated, or condensed milk)
contains less than 3 per cent, of milk-fat, it shall be presumed for the purposes of the Sale of Food and
Drugs Acts, 1875 to 1899, until the contrary is proved, that the milk is not genuine, by reason of the
abstraction therefrom of milk-fat, or the addition thereto of water.
2. Where a sample of milk (not being milk sold as skimmed, or separated, or condensed, milk)
contains less than 8 5 per cent, of milk-solids other than milk-fat, it shall be presumed for the
purposes of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 to 1899, until the contrary is proved, that the milk
is not genuine, by reason of the abstraction therefrom of milk-solids other than milk-fat, or the
addition thereto of water.
Skimmed or separated milk.
3. Where a sample of skimmed or separated milk (not being condensed milk) contains less than
9 per cent, of milk-solids, it shall be presumed for the purposes of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts,
1875 to 1899, until the contrary is proved, that the milk is not genuine, by reason of the abstraction
therefrom of milk-solids other than milk-fat, or the addition thereto of water.
Disinfection.
The annual reports of medical officers of health show that in Paddington, Kensington and
Battersea a contractor is employed in the work of disinfection, and that though in the two firstmentioned
districts the question of having their own apparatus has been under consideration, it is
not likely to be provided at present. In Battersea, however, towards the end of November, the
Borough Council decided to erect a disinfection chamber with duplex machinery, and they
accepted an estimate for the work, which was to be commenced at once. The new station in
Hackney was almost completed in 1900, and that in Fulham is stated by the medical officer
of health to be now in use. The authorities in the district of Poplar resolved that further
provision was necessary and have therefore extended the disinfecting station and erected a
saturated steam Equifex apparatus. The medical officer of health of Lambeth states that the
Equifex machine continues to give satisfaction, and that though the old Neville's machine in
the district has not broken down during the year, it is hardly satisfactory, and that it would be
well to purchase another Equifex in the event of a breakdown or any extra pressure of work
arising from epidemics. The medical officer of health of Camberwell also reports that there is
but one disinfecting machine, and that during the year on one occasion it was necessary to make
use of the station at Lambeth, and also on another occasion to make use of that in Bermondsey;
he therefore suggests that it would be well to provide another machine, and that it should be
placed in another part of the borough, which now is of large extent. It may be expected that the
London Government Act of 1899 will lead to alterations in the arrangements of those authorities
who utilised apparatus belonging to hospitals or to other authorities, such as those of St. Georgein-the-East,
St. Olave, Holborn, Stoke Newington, Lee, Eltham, and some districts of Wandsworth.
Provision of Shelter during Disinfection.
The reports of the following districts show the extent of use of the shelters which have been
provided for people whose rooms were being disinfected. Paddington by 15 families, Westminster
by 12 families, Marylebone 10 times, St. Pancras 4 times, Islington 3 time's, Strand by 7 persons,
Holborn by 16 families, Clerkenwell 19 times, Limehouse by 12 families, St. George-the-Martvr
108 times, St. Olave 14 times, Rotherhithe by 2 persons, Plumstead once. In Hackney the local
authority paid for accommodation on two occasions for persons who applied for rooms while
they were deprived of their homes, but the new shelter is almost completed, and will consist of
four entirely separated and furnished tenements, with water-closet and bath-room to each. In
the City the new shelter was opened but not ready for occupation in October, 1900, so that the old
one was in use during the whole year, and accommodated 18 families or 68 persons during the