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172
Twenty-eight cases were brought before the
Magistrates at Lambeth, and all were successful.
The adulterations amounted to about 23½ per
cent. Many others were of more than doubtful
character, especially as to skimming. But, now that
the Society of Public Analysts has come to an
uniform agreement as to what constitutes milk, and
that there is a general concurrence among experts
as to the amounts of solids not fat, adulteration
with water will not easily escape conviction.
My own experience in Milk-analysis has led
me to place much confidence in the ash of milks.
In consequence, I find that Salt is sometimes added
to increase the ash ; but, as I always estimate the
Salt, the addition can make no difference in my
estimation of the actual ash.
We have had one case of supposed adulteration,
in which, in spite of the low specific gravity, I was
unable to give a Certificate. It was a case in which
it was more than probable that the lighter, creamholding,
milk, had been skimmed off, and sold as
milk. It contained nearly 12 per cent, of most
excellent Cream, and nearly 4 per cent, of Butter;
there was consequently a depression in the amount
of solids not fat. But, inasmuch as the ash (0.68)
was very nearly normal, I could not do other than