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squash contained 445 parts of sulphur dioxide per million of squash, 350 parts per million being the
largest permissible quantity. A sample of "Sirop Francais " was found to be simply a sample of an
artificially flavoured, coloured product and contained no fruit juice, so that it should have been
described as flavoured and not as though it contained actual fruit juice. A sample of ginger essence
also contravened the Soft Drinks Order and was probably old stock, Some dried coffee extract
was sold as coffee whereas it was obviously in the vendor's interest to call it a dried pure coffee extract,
which must be more expensive than the original coffee, of which only about 25 per cent. can be
extracted. Two samples of meat paste were found to be 20 and 30 per cent. deficient in meat
respectively, whilst some canned mutton had been sterilised during the canning process, but had been
obviously decomposed and unfit for consumption before it was canned. Only one sample of horseflesh
was submitted to the public analyst this year and this was submitted as horseflesh because it was
admitted by the restaurateur that it was horseflesh, although it had obviously been intended for
human consumption without disclosure that it was not beef. The worst case examined during the
year consisted of a sample of so-called salad oil, which was stated to be a mixture of teaseed oil, liquid
paraffin, and apricot kernel oil, whereas it contained over 99 per cent. of liquid paraffin. Unfortunately,
it was not found possible to obtain a formal sample of this oil, although action was taken in other
areas where formal samples had been obtained."
Legal Proceedings.—Of the twenty-one samples adversely reported upon by the Public Analyst,
proceedings were instituted under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, in three instances involving the
two samples of milk containing added water and the sample of horseflesh. In regard to the milk
samples the defendants were fined £3 and costs in one case, and £2 and costs in the other. For
possessing horseflesh for the purpose of sale for human consumption without displaying the requisite
notice the defendant was fined £5 0s. Od. and costs. In the remaining cases legal proceedings were
not advised and the matters were taken up with the manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer concerned.
Proceedings were also taken under the London County Council Bye-laws made under Section 183
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, against three itinerant sellers of soft drinks for having no
facilities for the proper cleansing of utensils and for selling drinks from contaminated glasses. Fines
of 20s. and costs and 10s. and costs were imposed in two cases, the third being dismissed under the
Probation of Offenders Act on payment of costs.
Milk.—There are 160 premises from which milk is sold. Inspections made numbered 260.
During the year 49 applications under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations, 1936-1946,
were received from 22 milk purveyors and licences were granted as follows: 1 pasteurising, 25 dealers'
and 3 supplementary in the case of pasteurised milk; 1 bottling, 17 dealers' and 2 supplementary
in respect of tuberculin tested milk.
The average composition of the 88 genuine samples of milk analysed was: total solids, 12.29 per
cent.; fat, 3.51 per cent.; solids not fat, 8.78 per cent., as compared with the legal minima, namely,
11.50 per cent., 3.00 per cent. and 8.50 per cent. respectively.
Fifty samples of milk were taken at the premises of two authorised wholesale firms operating heattreatment
plants and submitted to the tests prescribed for the various designations. One sample
of pasteurised milk was unsatisfactory under the phosphatase test and the Area Milk Officer of the
Ministry of Food was advised accordingly. Of forty other samples of milk examined bacteriologically
all but one sample of pasteurised milk, which failed to pass the methylene blue test, were found to
comply with the requisite standards.
Butter and Margarine Premises.—At the end of the year there were on the register 15 dealers in
margarine and 2 butter manufacturers. Thirty inspections were made.
Ice Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 121, and 200 inspections were made.
Two applications for registration were refused as the premises in each case were considered to be
unsuitable for the sale of ice cream.
Seven samples of ice cream were examined bacteriologically. Of these, three were found to be
satisfactory and four were below standard. The question of the unsatisfactory samples was in each
case taken up with the manufacturers either direct or through the medical officer of health of the
district in which the factory was situated.
In 1947 the Council requested the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee to take steps
to secure amendment of existing legislation so as to provide for the registration of all premises used
for the manufacture, storage or sale of ice cream, and of all street vendors of this commodity. The
Standing Joint Committee, after considering the views of their constituent Councils, concurred in the
proposal and made representations to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Food accordingly.