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137
expressly mention that the Local Government Board had suggested to the
Brighton Corporation that the existing law might suffice in dealing with
polluted shellfish.
PERMISSIVE MILK ADULTERATION.
In April last year the Sanitary Committee referred for my consideration a
labulated return received from the Borough of Shoreditch, showing the
practice obtaining in London and the Provinces regarding milk prosecutions,
together with a letter from their Public Analyst on the same subject. The
point reviewed therein was the question of taking proceedings in cases
of adulterated milk where the results of analysis, according to the minimum
limits fixed by the Board of Agriculture regulations, show a presumptive
addition of an excess of water less than five per cent.
The Public Analyst for Shoreditch himself does not consider it safe to
prosecute when a milk shows only 3 per cent. of added water. From the
return it appears that of the 48 Authorities whose opinion are given, 31
have adopted in practice various minima limits of water adulteration, thus:—
1 Authority fixed the limit at 2.4 per cent, added water.
3 Authorities ,, „ 3 ,, „
3 „ „ „ 4
16 „ „ „ 5 „ „
1 Authority „ „ 5½ „ „
4 Authorities „ ,, 6 „ „
3 „ „ „ 7 „ „
Of the other 17 Authorities some prosecuted if "below the standai'd," others
considered each case on its merits," some were guided by the opinion of the
analyst, two fixed no limits, and one frankly stated they "did not allow added
water at all."
The names of the Authorities referred to above are purposely omitted here,
as it would be doing the inhabitants of the three districts where milk
containing 7 per cent1. of added water is " passed " a very ill service.
To fix a minimum for added water is to be a party to adulteration, and
directly contrary to the intentions of the Legislature when the Board of
Agriculture were given statutory powers to make regulations for determining
what deficiency in any normal constituents indicates adulteration.
The limit of 8.5 per cent. for "solids not fat" was established for the
guidance of the Public Analyst, and anything below that figure is presumptive
evidence that the milk is watered. It appears, therefore, that any Authority
authorising the sale of milk below the statutory limit incurs a responsibility
that not only places them in opposition to the spirit of the Acts they are
empowered to administrate, but contrary to the best interests of the public
health.