View report page

22
"A sample of liquid paraffin, which contained excessive quantities of carbonisable substances,
failed to comply with the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia.
"A 'nerve tonic' contravened the Pharmacy and Medicines Act as the constituents were incorrectly
stated. It also contravened the Labelling of Food Order as the dose for one day would only supply
one-quarter of the total daily requirement of vitamin B1. Another 'nerve tonic' which contained
only 0.33 per cent. of liquid extract of malt, was labelled as an excellent combination of malt, iron,
phosphorus and bromine. This is rather more than an exaggerated statement.
"Some balsam of liquorice and blackcurrant contained insufficient blackcurrant to warrant the
description, and there were several mistakes in the label.
"A 'vitamin tonic' did not give the information on the label regarding vitamin B, required by
the Labelling of Food Order. It was also a 'Part 1 Poison' according to the Poisons Rules, and the
name and address of the retail seller were not given on the label.
"A tonic containing nux vomica was not labelled with the warning: 'Caution, it is dangerous to
exceed the stated dose.'
"Some paraffin flavoured with orange was found to contain 5 per cent. of volatile oil of orange—a
quantity which is 3½ times the maximum dose.
"Twenty-four other samples of drugs failed to comply with the labelling requirements of the
Pharmacy and Medicines Act, 1941, and nine, which contained poisons, were not properly labelled
according to the Poisons Rules."
A prosecution taken in respect of a sample of sausages found to be 23.6 per cent. deficient in meat
resulted in a fine of £3 0s. 0d., with £3 3s. 0d. costs awarded to the Council. Legal proceedings were
not advised in connection with any other samples adversely reported upon by the Public Analyst,
and the matters were taken up, with satisfactory results, with the manufacturers, wholesalers or
retailers concerned. Two other prosecutions under the Food and Drugs Act concerned the presence
of foreign matter in foods. A fine of £5 0s. 0d. (with £5 5s. 0d. costs) was imposed in the case of a
packeted table jelly containing specks of china-like material; in the other instance, where particles
of glass were found amongst boiled sweets, the case was dismissed on payment of £2 2s. 0d. costs.
The Food and Drugs (Milk, Dairies and Artificial Cream) Act, 1950, and the Diseases of Animals
Act, 1950, both of which are consolidating measures, came into operation on the 1st January, 1951.
Milk.—There are 162 premises from which milk is sold, and inspections made numbered 210.
During the year 219 applications under The Milk (Special Designations) (Raw Milk) Regulations,
1949, and The Milk (Special Designations) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949, were
received from 68 milk purveyors, and licences were granted as follow:—
Accredited milk 12 dealer's.
Tuberculin tested milk 50 dealer's and 12 supplementary.
Pasteurised milk 1 pasteuriser's, 59 dealer's and 14 supplementary.
Sterilised milk 1 steriliser's, 58 dealer's and 12 supplementary.
The average composition of the 48 genuine samples of milk analysed was: total solids 12.29 per
cent.; fat, 3.53 per cent.; solids not fat, 8.76 per cent., as compared with the legal minima, namely,
11.50 per cent., 3.00 per cent. and 8.50 per cent. respectively.
Fifty-two samples of milk taken at the premises of two authorised wholesale firms operating heat
treatment plants were submitted to the test prescribed for the various designations. All but two
(which failed the methylene blue test and were referred to the Area Milk Officer) were reported to be
satisfactory. Of 54 other samples of milk examined by the Council's Bacteriologist, all were found
to comply with the requisite standards.
Pursuant to section 23 of the Food and Drugs (Milk, Dairies and Artificial Cream) Act, 1950, the
Minister of Food made an Order providing that, as from the 1st October, 1951, all milk sold by retail
within the London area must be specially designated milk.
Cream.—Restrictions on the manufacture and supply of cream were removed by the Cream
(Revocation) Order, 1951, made by the Minister of Food and operative as from the 9th May, 1951.
Minimum standards for cream and clotted cream were prescribed by the Food Standards (Cream)
Order, 1951.
Butter and Margarine Premises.—Fifteen dealers in margarine and two butter manufacturers were
on the register. Forty-three inspections of the premises were made.
Ice Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 159, which includes three where ice cream
is manufactured: 161 inspections were made,