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39
With regard to the first list 1 would observe that it
shews how incompetent the public is of judging of
adulterated food. Of the eleven articles suspected,
not one has been found to contain any kind of
adulteration. In only one instance was any indication.
given as to what was the kind of
adulteration suspected.
The second table contains a list of 119 articles,
which have been submitted to me for analysis by
the Inspector.
Milk.
The most important of these articles has been
milk. This article of food is most extensively
employed, and is more easily adulterated than any
other. The adulteration to which it is exposed is
water. This may bo most easily employed, and is
of all things the most difficult of detection. This
arises from the fact that although by analysis of a
great number of specimens it is easy to say what is
the quantity of butter, cheese, and sugar they
contain, it is impossible to compel each cow to give
the same quantities of these substances. It is a
known fact that these substances will differ in
almost every specimen of milk obtained from
different cows, and from the same cow at different
milkings. Hence it seemed to me to demand very
great caution in proceeding against milk dealers,
unless their milk was out of all proportion to what
it ought to contain.