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her decide whether to purchase or not to purchase. And in the case of a substance
bearing such a name as "Honey Jelly" her decision would depend upon her reaction
to the name and whether in its market dress the food made a strong enough appeal.
Under such a designation she would scarcely expect to obtain pure honey, but
she might expect to obtain a fair proportion of honey incorporated in a new and
attractive form. Yet in this instance the compound consists essentially of gulcose
gelatinized in agar-agar and containing at the most not more than 2.0 per cent,
of honey. Having such a composition, the substance, it may be said, has a certain
food value, is inexpensive and contains nothing injurious to health.
Ale.—The sample of ale (serial No. 162) was private and was submitted for
examination on account of a taste of phenol having been noted. The presence of
a trace of phenol was in fact detected, but extensive enquiries about the methods
used for cleaning beer bottles at large bottling establishments having failed to
yield evidence that phenol in any form was used for such purpose and in view of
the fact that no other complains were made a safe conclusion would appear to be
that the presence of phenol in this ale was an instance of isolated and possibly
accidental contamination.—(Signed) J. F. F. Rowland.
STATISTICAL.
BIRTHS.
Registration.—The number of births registered during 1935 was 896,* being
63 more than in 1934. Of the children born, 427 were boys and 469 girls. The
birth rate per 1,000 of the population was 9.72, as against 9.00 in 1934.

Notifications.—The total number of notifications received during the year
under the Notification of Births Act, 1907, was 3,776; live births, 3,581; still
births, 195. The total notifications in 1934 was 3,380. The provisions of the Act
are now very generally known, and the necessity for notifying is not less well
recognised than that for registration. Failures to notify within 36 hours of birth,
as required, were comparatively few. In such cases as there was failure, a perfectly
reasonable explanation was forthcoming, and it was not considered necessary
to take proceedings against any of the parties.
* This figure is exclusive of births occurring in the Borough to persons usually non-resident
therein, but includes 235 births which occurred outside the district, and which have been transferred
as belonging to St Marylebone:—
Legitimate Males 87
,, Females 103
Illegitimate Males 24
,, Females 21
Total 235