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Dr. Forster considers it evident that its use, as a food preservative,
is not as beneficial as hitherto assumed.* In regard to the
possible excessive use of the preservative, we would remind you
that in one case which recently came under notice, the amount
present was very large, the taste of the drug being very
perceptible. We desire to say in conclusion that, although in
the present state of our knowledge the injurious action of very
small doses of Borax or Boracic Acid, even in the case of
infants, and even having regard to the doses being continuous
may perhaps be considered as 'not proven,' it will probably
become a question whether the use of any known preservative,
in lieu of refrigeration, in any amount, however small, should
not be prohibited, in view of possible and indeed probable
abuse, and while doubt exists as to the action of the drug
employed."
COMMITTEE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
NUISANCES REMOVAL ACTS.
With the view of accelerating proceedings in cases of
nuisance, your Vestry decided, in February, 1885, to appoint
the Works, Sanitary, and General Purposes Committee, to be
a Committee to " receive notices, take proceedings, and in all
respects execute the Nuisances Removal Act, for England,
1855, and all Amending Acts." The Committee meet for the
purposes of the Acts once a week, and Notices are issued upon
the immediate authority of the Committee, who in due course
report their proceedings to your Vestry. Summonses continue
to be heard by the Justices sitting in Petty Sessions at the
Vestry Hall. In my Annual Report for 1885,I remarked that
it was "much to be desired that the Justices should place
sanitary cases at the top, instead of, as heretofore, at the bottom
* A complete translation of Dr. Forster's Memorandum upon the use of
Boracic Acid as a so-called Food Preservative, appeared in the Lancet (vol. 2,
1887, August 13, page 342), subsequent to the publication of our report—from
the pen of Mr. Charles Hancock, a member of the Vestry.