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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ANALYST
Appointed under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act.
TO THE BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE ST. GILES DISTRICT.
Gentlemen,—
During the year ending the 31st of last March I received 241
samples of articles of food and drugs for analysis. Of these 134
samples were supplied to me by your Inspector between the 1st of
April and the 24th of September, 1875, while the Adulteration Acts
were in operation; and 107 samples were obtained in November of
last year and April of the present year, under the provisions of the
Sale of Food and Drugs Act. As milk continues to be the article
most largely adulterated, a greater number of samples of this article
have been obtained than any other; 132 samples of milk have been
collected during the year, and of these no less than 41 were found
to be adulterated, and some of them very largely adulterated. It
seems to be impossible entirely to put a stop to the adulteration of
milk, and it is only by having the dealers frequently visited by the
Inspector that the practice, which has become so prevalent, of adding
water to this important article of food, can be checked. Whenever
the Inspector's attention is for any length of time drawn from this
to other articles of food, the practice of diluting milk with water, or
of reducing its value by the removal of cream, soon increases, and
this was specially observed to be the case during the cessation of
proceedings which occurred between the passing of the new Act and
its coming into operation. With reference to other articles besides
milk, although a large number has been collected, consisting of
bread, butter, beer, cider, tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar, mustard, pepper,
vinegar, preserved peas, sweets, spices, jams, arrowroot, and several
drugs, adulteration has only been detected in one sample of coffee,
one of mustard, and three of preserved peas. In these latter cases
evidence has been afforded of considerable improvement having been
effected in the genuineness of the articles supplied to the public.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
17, Bloomsbury Square, T. REDWOOD.
17th June, 1876.