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54
the thing at which to aim. In several cases it has been deemed
policy to sacrifice one's chances of success in a petty prosecution,
and in place of that to seek to enlist the co-operation of the
manufacturer or wholesale dealer with a view to improvement on
a much wider basis. This was done early in March, 1908, in the
case of some samples of American and Canadian Bacon which
were certified by your Analyst to contain considerable quantities
of boric acid. This particular question is of great interest in
view of the report issued shortly after the taking of these
samples by Dr. A. W. F. McFadden, of the Local Government
Board Foods Department. The firms concerned were
interviewed by your Public Health Committee, and promised
their earnest co-operation to secure a smaller percentage of
boric acid.
I can do no better in connection with these cases than
reproduce a statement kindly furnished to me by one of the
firms. He writes under date April 2nd 1908 :—
" For more than 25 years a large and increasing business
in Canadian bacon has been carried on with this country. The
bacon is cured with salt and saltpetre only (no Boracic Acid
being ever used in the cure); it is then lightly sprinkled with
Borax powder, and packed in boxes for shipment.
" Our shippers inform us they use 4 lbs. of borax in packing
a box of bacon containing 650/750 lbs. weight. We have since
cabled them to reduce the quantity to -2 lbs. per box, and we
may find this amount sufficient for the purpose.
" Canadian bacon is cured mildly for immediate
consumption, and there is no object in using any more borax
than absolutely necessary. Besides, the borax is not used with
bacon in the ordinary sense of a preservative, the meat is
already preserved by the cure. Borax is simply used to keep
the meat dry, and prevent slime during transit.
" When the product comes to this country it is manipulated
by wholesale merchants, who wash the borax off in hot water,
and if properly done little if any trace of it should remain ; then
they put it into smokehouses and dry it out for the consumer.
Further, after all this washing and smoking the bacon has to be
cooked, a good deal of it being boiled, especially by the poor
classes.
" This process is carried on with all product packed with
borax, and it has never been altered even to this day. The
system which has passed muster for so many years has given
the greatest satisfaction to the traders and consumers, because it
has given them a mild, delicate, palatable, and wholesome
article.