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Caseous Lymphadenitis.—There were 1,000 carcases of imported mutton
examined by the cutting of the lymphatic glands. Of these, 2 were found
diseased, showing .002 as against .0004 in 1935.
135 tons 3 cwt. of Tea Sweepings were removed from warehouses for
chemical purposes.
89 cases, each containing 24 tins of Prunes, were detained, and, after
analyses of 12 of the tins had been made, it was found that the "tin" contents
varied from 1.21 to 2.10 grains per lb. The whole parcel was eventually
surrendered by the owners and destroyed.
1 case of 360 eggs was surrendered and destroyed as unfit for human
consumption. The eggs were purchased from a farmer in Yorkshire, and
were advertised as "New Laid Eggs." Most of them were marked with pencil
indicating the breed of bird that had laid them. Judging by their condition,
the eggs appeared to have spent some time in an incubator. The facts were
forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health for the district in which the farm
is situated.
A quantity of pears was seized in one of the Borough markets. They
were exposed for sale upon a stall. When questioned, the owner said the pears
were for sale but that she sold them to children only. The pears were condemned
and the owner fined £1 0s. 0d., with £2 2s. 0d. costs.
A quantity of rancid butter was seized in a provision shop situated in
one of the Borough markets. Some was exposed for sale in the shop and
some deposited for sale in a refrigerator at the rear of the premises. The
butter was condemned by the Magistrate at the Thames Police Court. The
shopkeeper stated that the butter, sold at 10d. per lb., was for cake making
only, although a notice in the shop described it as "Pure Butter, 10d. per
lb." He was fined a total of £7 0s. 0d., with £5 5s. 0d. costs.
Sodium Fluoride in Wine.—In February, the Food Inspector was
approached by a wholesale manufacturing chemist in the Borough, who
informed the Inspector that he was in the habit of supplying sulphur dioxide
preservative to a large firm of wine merchants in Stepney, used for preserving
wine. (The Public Health (Preservatives in Food) Regulations permits the
presence of 450 parts per million of sulphur dioxide preservative in wine.)
Unfortunately on this occasion, the chemist's foreman had supplied sodium
fluoride by mistake and the fluoride had been added to about 1,200 gallons of
wine by the merchant. Unless the sodium fluoride could be removed, the
loss sustained by the chemist would amount to about £1,000,