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63 Samples were submitted for analysis by the General Public, consisting of:—
50 Milks, 6 Butters, 1 Cheese, 1 Milk Powder, 4 Flours, 1 Ground Almonds. Of
these, 17 Samples or 27.3 per cent., were found to be adulterated, consisting of
16 Milks, 1 Butter.
Pearl-Coated Pills.
27 samples of Blaud's Pills were obtained for examination, 11 being purchased
officially and the remainder informally. The majority of these pills were of the
variety known as " Pearl-Coated."
" Pearl-Coating " for pills appears to have been first used about 25 years ago
and rapidly gained favour with some makers, probably owing to the portability and
improved appearance of the finished article.
The coating consists of Magnesium Silicate, commonly called Talc or Steatite.
The amount in each pill varied, but in some cases it was as much as 40 per cent, of
the pill, the actual amount by weight being 3 grains.
In 8 cases talc had been incorporated with the pill mass and 4 were slightly
deficient in Carbonate of Iron. The facts were reported to the Public Health
Committee, and after due consideration it was decided not to take proceedings in
the Police Court against the vendors.
Experiments were conducted in the laboratory to ascertain how these pills would
be acted upon by the gastric juice. Artificial digestion experiments showed that the
coating was broken up into irregular and insoluble masses. Under the microscope the
fine portion was transparent and angular, and had the appearance of finely powdered
glass. The ingestion of such inert siliceous matter by persons with delicate
digestive organs, must be attended with some amount of danger.
The popularity of Blaud's pills is largely due to the fact that the " iron " which
they contain is present in an absorbable and non-astringent form. It may thus be
taken by persons whose stomachs would be too sensitive to retain and utilise some
of the other preparations of iron.
Indeed it may be said that in many instances digestive disturbances are present,
either secondary to the Anaemia or as a primary cause of the anaemic condition.
The ingestion of a not inconsiderable quantity of insoluble non-digestible and
non-absorbable substance like magnesium silicate, must aggravate a condition
of the stomach and bowels, and nullify any beneficial effects of the " iron." It may
even cause serious injury by its mechanical action.
In 1909, the Local Government Board in a pamphlet called attention to the
growing habit of polishing cereals, such as rice, with talc, and the danger to health
which might result from the use of rice so treated, and The Lancet, June 18th, 1910,
contains the report of a case of Pancreatic Calculus in a man attributed to the
consumption of rice polished with talc.