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142
SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.
During the year 1,202 articles of food and drugs were analysed under the
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 to 1899. Of this number, 72 were taken
as test samples without the formalities imposed by the Act being observed—
these samples being made up as follows, viz., 52 milk samples, principally
taken at Railway Stations, 15 samples of preservatives, 2 samples of filleted
fish (for preservatives), and 1 sample each of cydrax, chocolate and Cotosuet.
Of the former samples, 32, or 2.8 per cent., were certified by the Public
Analyst to be adulterated or not up to standard, as compared with 3.27 in
1909.
A summary of the Quarterly Reports on all samples examined by the
Public Analyst, showing both those taken in accordance with the Act and
those taken otherwise, and the percentage of adulteration of each individual
article, is given on pages 150-151. In 1901, the percentage of adulteration in
the City was 13.11, and has since steadily fallen to the present figure— the
lowest on record.
The percentage of adulteration of samples taken in England and Wales in
1877 was 16.2, and this has continuously fallen to 8.5 in 1908, this being the
latest year available.
The accompanying Table has been partly compiled from the Annual
Reports of the Local Government Board, to which are added some figures for
the City of London, and London as a whole:—
Year.
Total Number
of Samples
Examined in
England and
Wales.
Number
Examined in
the City of
London.
Percentage of
Total Number
Examined
in City of
London.
Number of Persons to each Sample
examined.
England and
Wales.
*City of
London.
London.
1881
17,823
162
.92
1,462
318
760
1891
29,028
169
.42
999
227
580
1901
67,841
854
1.26
479
32
291
1909
97,985
1,190
1.31
330
15
202
1910
Return not yet
received.
1,202
—
—
14
—
* The figures in this column are based on the Imperial night census, and are obviously misleading.
Unfortunately there are no accurate means of arriving at the number of persons in the City during the daytime.