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50
SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS, 1875 TO 1907
RESULTS OF PROSECUTIONS, 1925
First Quarter
Sample Nature and Extent of Adulteration Result
64 Milk 29 per cent of original fat abstracted £4 and 17s 6d Costs
196 Crushed Linseed 18 per cent deficient in oil £2 and 17s 61 Costs
Second Quarter
409 Calomel Ointment 55 per cent deficient in Mercurous £25 and 17s 6d Costs
Chloride (2nd Offence)
Third Quarter
753 Milk 8 per cent added water £1 and 17s 6d Costs
756 Malt Vinegar Vinegar other than Malt Vinegar £5 and 17s 6d Costs
Fourth Quarter
912 Rum 429 degrees under proof £5 5s and £1 1s Costs
940 Rum 471 degrees under proof £3 3s and £1 1s Costs
992 Malt Vinegar 17 per cent deficient in Acetic Acid Dismissed on payment of
17s 6d Costs
SUMMARY
£ s d £ s d
First Quarter Fines 6 0 0 Costs 1 15 0
Second Quarter ,, 25 0 0 ,, 17 6
Third Quarter ,, 6 0 0 ,, 1 15 0
Fourth Quarter 8 8 0 „ 2 19 6
Total Fines £45 8 0 Total Costs £7 7 0
CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF MILK SAMPLES COLLECTED AT
RAILWAY STATIONS
In accordance with the practice which has been in operation in the City for a number of
years, samples of milk have been collected at Railway Stations, on arrival from the country,
and submitted to Sir Frederick Andrewes, FRS, the City Bacteriologist, for bacteriological
examination and investigation as to the presence of dirt Duplicate samples have also been
submitted to the City Analyst for chemical examination
Two series of samples were collected, one in March and the other in September In the
March series, 42 samples were examined, and one sample or 2.4 per cent. found to be infected
with the tubercle bacillus Sir Frederick Andrewes report on the result of his examination
is as follows:—
"These experiments were marked by the occurrence of an epidemic of unknown nature,
which carried off nearly 20 animals, most of them within a few days, in the middle of April
Cultures from the blood and viscera were negative, and I assume the epidemic was due to
some filter passing virus such as that which, I believe, occurred amongst guinea pigs at the
Lister Institute Fortunately, the animals which thus died had been inoculated long enough
(18 days and onwards) to allow of a decisive opinion as to the presence or absence of tubercle
Only in one animal of this series is there any doubt in my mind as to whether sufficient time
had elapsed to allow of an opinion This is No 1, which died only 12 days after inoculation
"Summary—Of these milks two were definitely dirty, Nos 31 and 42 Two more, 36
and 37, contained a moderate amount of dirt The rest were either clean or contained only
traces of dirt, which I have classified as "large trace" (5 samples) and "trace" (22 samples)
11 samples appeared quite clean
"As regards tubercle,evidence was obtained in only one sample out of the42, viz, No 29—
ie, in only 2.3 or 2.4 per cent—a lower rate than any which I have found in previous years
"(Signed) F W ANDREWES
St Bartholomew's Hospital,
May 18 th, 1925,"
As the result of enquiries instituted in connection with the positive case, the Veterinary
Inspector for the district in which the farm is situated reported that " No evidence of disease
could be detected It was, however, ascertained that two cows, on the ground of their not
' doing well,' had been disposed of at the beginning of this month, and that no milk is now
sent to London, the whole supply going to Lowestoft where it is pasteurised"
The chemical examination showed that with one exception all the samples were samples
of genuine milk, free from boric acid The offender in this case was cautioned, and subsequent
samples taken from the same source were found to be satisfactory