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49
Spirits.—None of the 26 samples of spirits was found to be below the legal limit of
35 degrees under proof.
Drugs.—Of the 105 samples of drugs procured for analysis, four were reported against,
and in two instances, where legal action was not justified, the vendors were communicated
with. Legal proceedings, however, were taken in one case, regarding tincture of iodine
purchased at a shop where hygienic and toilet goods were sold, and where an informal sample
previously purchased had been reported against. The sample was deficient in iodine to
the extent of 22 -4 per cent, and potassium iodide to 24 -8 per cent, of the amount that it
should contain by the requirements of the British Pharmacoepia. The retailer, who was
summoned for selling tincture of iodine which was not of the nature, substance or quality
of the article demanded, successfully proved a warranty given by his supplier. The latter
was summoned for wilfully giving a label which falsely described the article, and was fined £2,
with £5 5s. costs.
Smoked Bacon.—Early in the year a communication was received from the Medical
Officer of Health of another Local Authority to the effect that samples of smoked bacon,
taken and submitted to the Public Analyst of that district, had shown the existence of from
25 to 35 parts per million of the preservative formalin, and that some of the samples were
from bacon which originated from a City bacon factory. " Preservative," which is defined
by the Public Health (Preservatives, etc., in Food) Regulations, does not include " any
substance added to food by the process of curing known as smoking." Enquiries were
instituted at the premises of the City firm in question, where it was ascertained that no
bacon wash, smoke compound or smoke flavouring powder was used, but the inner surfaces
of the sides of bacon are scraped, pea flour sifted over them and the bacon immediately
hung in the smoke-chamber and wood-smoked for about 48 hours or longer. Danish,
Canadian, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Irish and English bacon was treated in this manner.
It was felt desirable that an experiment should be made to ascertain the effect of smoking
bacon. Accordingly, a gammon rasher was cut from a side of bacon before smoking, and
the remainder of the side then smoked in the usual manner. After removal from the
chamber, two rashers were cut from the exposed end and the side then divided, and another
rasher was taken from one of the freshly-cut ends. These rashers were all submitted for
analysis, with the following results :—
Parts per Million
Sample. Formaldehyde.
Rasher, cut before smoking Nil
Rashers, cut from exposed end after smoking :—
(a) Outside and exposed rasher16
(b) Next rasher adjoining10
Rasher taken, after smoking, from freshly-cut surface of divided side 2
Four samples of smoked bacon purchased ordinarily in City shops, showed similar
smaller amounts of formaldehyde upon analysis.
In connection with this subject, it is interesting to note extracts from an article, published
in the Analyst for July, 1927, by Dr. E. H. Callow, of the Food Investigation Board
of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Cambridge, on the presence of
Formaldehyde in Wood Smoke and in Smoked Foodstuffs :—
"A search of the literature on wood distillation failed to reveal any record of formaldehyde
having been detected in wood distillates. This is not surprising when it is remembered that
the distillation of wood is carried out in the absence of air, whilst for the production of
smoke, air is essential. In wood distillation methyl alcohol is produced, and this, on oxidation,
gives rise to formaldehyde. This substance, therefore, is likely to be a component
of wood smoke."
Mention is also made of various foodstuffs, purchased ordinarily in shops of a provincial
town, which were submitted to analysis, with the result that formaldehyde was found to
be present to the extent of from 05 to 1,000 parts per million in various kinds of smoked
fish, 30 to 50 parts per million in smoked bacon, whereas it was absent in unsmoked bacon.
EXAMINATION OF MILK.
Chemical.—Twelve of the 215 samples of milk, all of which were taken formally, were
reported as being below the legal limits which presume adulteration, equal to a percentage
figure of 5 -5, as compared with 6 -3 in J 936. It was found necessary to take legal proceedings
in regard to one sample for fat deficiency, it being shown that the milk which had been served