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was introduced in the Commons for, inter alia, granting statutory powers (in
certain circumstances) for the forcible detention and compulsory personal
cleansing of individuals, without other warrant than the Act. Not only was
such a measure promoted, but it became law, and is now on the Statute Book.*
Only a few years ago the idea of advocating legislation of this character,
which certainly interferes with the liberty of the subject, would have been
deemed preposterous. It is evident, therefore, that the crusade against filth
and disease is by no means complete, and even now the Local Government
Board are engaged in framing regulations for a wider control of food stuffs
under the powers conferred upon them last year by the Public Health
(Regulation as to Food) Act. These will probably be of a far-reaching
character, and further enlarge the duties and responsibilities of health
authorities.
The day is probably not far distant when the legislature will see the
advisability, in the interest of the honest trader and of the public, of passing
a " Pure Food Law" such as now obtains in the United States.
Under this measure, manufacturers of drugs, tinned and potted foods, &c.,
are obliged to affix labels telling the exact truth about their contents.
Thus one American, firm it is stated, now labels its "Best Strawberry
Jam" as containing:—"Apple Juice 45 per cent., Corn Syrup 48 per cent.,
Granulated Sugar 6 per cent, and Colouring Matter and Flavour 1 per cent."
The purchaser of this compound will have no difficulty in noting that it
contains no strawberry at all. Another important provision is that when a
preservative has been added, the nature and amount must be declared.
The public have a right to know what they are eating. The maxim
"caveat emptor" may be good from a lawyer's standpoint, but the sanitarian
looks upon it from a different point of view, and the sooner the public in this
country are protected from the iniquities of the unscrupulous trader, the
better it will be.
In earlier days the time of a sanitary inspector was chiefly occupied in
looking after small property, clustered together in courts and alleys, in
which the City at one time abounded. It is well known that this class of
property is now practically non-existent in the City, and at first sight it
might appear that, as a consequence, there would be less work for these
officers. As a matter of fact, directly the contrary obtains. It is obvious
that the defects that more generally require attention relate to sanitary
conveniences. Now in the tenement class property that formerly existed,
these places were generally placed in the yards, and frequently used in
common. These were readily accessible to the Inspector, and it did not then
take much time for him to examine the sanitary accommodation provided for
* These powers are in operation in the Metropolis with regard to the cleansing of inmates of common
lodging-houses and children attending public elementary schools. (2 Edw. 7 cap. clxxv., sec. 37).