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144
From the Table it would appear that the decrease of adulteration in the
City during the years 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1904 had been followed by an
increased amount of adulteration during the three succeeding years 1905,
1906 and 1907.
This increase is, however, more apparent than real. There can be little
doubt that the numerous prosecutions that have taken place since the Acts
were rigorously enforced has brought about a great improvement generally in
the character of the food and drugs sold in the City, any apparent increase
in the percentage of adulterated articles being due to discrimination in the
selection of the articles taken for analysis.
In the last published Report of the Local Government Board on the
working of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, mention is made of the increasing
practice of the exhibition of notices stating that articles offered for sale are not
guaranteed to be pure or up to standard. Such notices are generally displayed
for the express purposes of protecting the vendor from the consequences of
selling a sophisticated article, and in order to place difficulties in the way
of prosecutions.
Such notices are to be found in 21 per cent. of registered purveyors of milk
in the City, while notices for the same purpose are exhibited in no less than
40 per cent. of the City Public-Houses. These facts and the advantage taken
by unscrupulous traders of the loop-hole afforded them by an easy abuse of the
warranty clauses are greatly conducive towards weakening an effective
administration of the Food and Drugs Acts.
With regard to the Notices exhibited in licensed premises, I think it would
be well, when the annual consideration is given to the renewal of licences by
the Local Authority in the City, to furnish the Justices with a list of all those
houses in which such notices are used.
It is obvious that no publican who is carrying on his business honestly and
properly need be in fear of a visit from an Inspector, and if the Justices gave
due weight to this aspect of the question it might assist them in coming to a
decision in those cases where there is any doubt as to the advisability of the
renewal of a licence.
MILK.

The Metropolis (1906) 13.3