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57
Central
laboratory.
A large proportion of the work performed at the central laboratory consists
of the examination of samples of stores supplied under contract to the Council's
many depots and stations. Specifications have been revised so as to bring them
closely into touch with modern conditions and requirements and to ensure that the
goods demanded shall, as nearly as possible, be in accord with the specification.
Not only has the volume of analytical work greatly increased, but the entirely
new duty of examining drugs supplied to the Council's hospitals, brought about by
the transfer of functions under the Local Government Act, 1929, has been laid
upon the branch.

Milk
samples.
Milk.—The total number of samples examined during the year was 1,858.
Of these 1,690 were of milk supplied to children in the elementary schools, which
is required to conform to the standard of 3.5 per cent. fat and 8.5 per cent. nonfatty
solids, except during the months of March and April, when the fat must be
not less than 3 per cent. The quality has on the whole been well up to the standard
as regards composition, 7.1 per cent. only being below the standard due to deficiency
of fat or containing added water. From the point of view of cleanliness, however,
the standard was not so high—11.5 per cent. containing extraneous matter due