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56
"The wash water contained 27 grammes of crystallized
boric acid, so that out of 4 lbs. of borax used in packing a box
of green sides—say 650 lbs.—only 14 borax adheres to the
surface of the bacon.
"I then removed the bone and rind from the bacon, which
left 3 lbs. 3 ozs. available for examination. This was divided
into two portions to determine the actual amount of boric acid
in the lean meat and fat respectively. The fat weighed 26 ozs.,
and lean 25 ozs., and the quantity of boric acid in these was as
follows :—
fat. lean.
grains boric acid per lb. grains boric acid per lb.
0.5 3.3
giving an average quantity of boric acid in the edible portions
equal to 1.9 gr."
Copy Analysis by Dr. Rideal on piece of smoked bacon bought
at a shop.
(The sample referred to in this report was washed in cold
water.)
"I have to report that I have made an examination of the
piece of smoked bacon received from you March 27th, with a
view to ascertaining the quantity of boric acid present therein,
and after subjecting the sample to the usual cooking processes of
boiling and frying.
"The sample weighed 4 lbs. 15.25 ozs., and after removing
the bone and rind 3 lbs. 14.5 ozs. After removing the two
surface rashers, which might possibly have contained some boric
acid from the packing, I took three separate portions for analysis.
" One rasher cut through the whole joint, weighing 6 ozs.,
was tested for boric acid and contained 1.47 grains per lb. The
second rasher, which weighed 4.5 ozs., was then fried, and after
frying, weighed two ounces. On analysis it yielded 9.1 grains
boric acid per lb., which, calculated on the weight before frying
equals 3 9 grains per lb.
" The last portion, weighing 2 lbs. 13 oz., was boiled for 1½
hours in two litres of water and after boiling had diminished in
weight to 2 lbs. 2¼
ozs., whilst the volume of the water after
boiling was 1880 c.c., and the quantity of boric acid in these two
were separately determined. In the boiled bacon it amounted
to o.67 grains per lb. calculated on the weight after cooking,
whilst 17 grains had been dissolved in the water. The total
quantity of boric acid calculated from these two determinations
in this portion of the unboiled bacon amounted therefore to 6.0
grains per lb.