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Analytical Taboratory,
Vestry Hall, Paddington Green, W.
January 7th, 1891.
To the Vestry of the Parish of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green.
Chairman and Gentlemen.
During the quarter ending December 25th, 1890, I have
received from your Inspectors 29 samples of food for analysis. All of
these were samples of Milk. No less than 10 of them proved to be
adulterated, This adulteration ranged from the addition of from 7
to 30 per cent. of water.
In the case where 7 per cent. only of water was added no prosecution
was undertaken, and in case No. 3/15, where 11 per cent. of water was
found to have been added, a prosecution was undertaken, but has not
yet been concluded.
In all the other cases prosecutions were undertaken, and in all but
one case wore brought to a successful issue, fines amounting to £5
having been imposed.
In case 3/11, I certified that the sample contained 10 per cent. of
added water, the vendor sent his part of the sample to another Analyst,
who also asserted it to be adulterated with water, though to a smaller
extent. The vendor was prepared to plead guilty; but. hearing in
Court another offender appeal to Somerset House, ho did the same.
Two-and-a-half months after the first taking and Analysis of the
sample the case was decided on a certificate from Somerset House, in
which they state that they are "unable to affirm that any addition of
water has taken place." When the sample reached Somerset House it
was about five weeks old, and necessarily considerably decomposed. On
such stale samples it is, in the opinion of all Public Analysts, quite
impossible to perform accurate analyses. Hero it is to be deplored,
that the conclusions of two Analysts working altogether apart from
one another on the fresh sample, should be upset by an analysis made
on a decoraposed sample.