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108
Sixty samples of milk were taken in course of delivery. Fifty-eight of this
number were obtained at the Railway Station on arrival from the Country, the other
two were taken at eating.houses as they were being delivered by the wholesale dealers.
Of the milks taken at the Railway Station 4 were found to be deficient. One case
was that of a farmer who sent two churns consigned to a London dairyman, the milk in
one of these churns containing 17 per cent. added water, and the other 7 per cent.
added water, he was prosecuted and fined 10l. and 1l. 1s. for the first offence and
3l. and 1l. 1s. for the second; in the case of the other two samples, the churns were
both consigned 'by a Dairy Company from their own farm to their London Depot, one
churn contained milk adulterated with 5 per cent. added water and the other 3 per cent.
added water.
The Manager of the Company gave a reasonable explanation of the matter and no
action was taken other than to take further samples from the same source, which, on
analysis, were found to be satisfactory.
In regard to the two samples taken in course of delivery to eating.houses, one of
these was found to be adulterated with 6 per cent. of added water, the vendor was
summoned, and as it was proved that he had already been fined for a similar offence
outside the City of London, a substantial fine of 20l. and 1l. 1s. costs was imposed.
In one instance only was the presence of preservative detected in milk; in this
case a sample submitted to the Public Analyst was found to contain boric acid to the
extent of 0.0046 per cent. which equals 0.4 grains to the pint.
The vendor of this sample was cautioned by the City Solicitor.
Formalin has not been detected in any milk supplied to the City, of London, and
boric acid I am glad to say is a most infrequent addition.
The extent of adulteration of the milks which were purchased at Shops,
Restaurants and Refreshment Rooms was as follows:—
Thirteen per cent. added water, vendor successfully pleaded warranty*;
7 per cent. fat abstracted, vendor cautioned; 15 per cent. fat abstracted, case
dismissed; 14 per cent. fat abstracted, vendor fined 1l. and 1l. 1s. costs;
24 per cent. fat abstracted, vendor fined 10s. and 17s. 6d. costs; 7 per cent. fat
abstracted, vendor successfully pleaded warranty; 35 per cent. added water,
vendor fined 51. and 1l. 1s. costs; 31 per cent. fat abstracted, vendor successfully
pleaded warranty; 6 per cent. fat abstracted, vendor cautioned; 31 per cent.
fat abstracted, vendor fined 21. and 1l. 1s. costs; 6 per cent. added water, vendor
ordered to pay costs, 1l. 1s.; 24 per cent. added water, vendor fined 30l. and
21. 2s. costs*; 0.0046 per cent. boric acid, vendor cautioned; 3 per cent. added
water, vendor cautioned; 7 per cent. added water, vendor cautioned.
Twelve samples of milk have been purchased from persons selling in the
streets, one of this number was found to be deficient in fat to the extent of 18
per cent. The vendor of this sample was prosecuted but escaped by successfully
proving a warranty; another sample has since been obtained from this
vendor and returned by the Public Analyst as genuine.
* Same Vendor,