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20
PUBLIC ANALYST'S REPORT.
TO THE ST. SAVIOUR'S DISTRICT BOARD OF
WORKS.
Chemical Laboratory,
St. Thomas's Hospital
Gentlemen, Sept. 26th, 1881.
During the past quarter I have analysed twenty-eight
articles of food. As a result of the analysis of eight samples of
mornings' Mile, and eight of afternoons', I find those of the morning
inferior to those of the afternoon. Three of the morning milks
were adulterated with, respectively, 7, 14, and 24 per cent., but,
as usual, the adulterant was only water. Of course, only water
may mean irremediable mischief to the consumers. The admixture
of so much London tap-water means simply the loss of so much
money, and injury probably to the lives of infants; but the
admixture of water even in small quantity, from an impure service
in the country, may mean death. I would venture to repeat the
caution I have given before, that with milk the chance of
adulteration is so considerable, it is better always to boil it for the
use of infants and young persons. If milk could be depended upon,
there would be no need for the innumerable artificial drinks which
are now before the Public; they are a new source of danger, as
everything depends in the first place upon the purity of the water
employed, and in the second upon the qualifications of the
manufacturer. Milk is a nutritious drink, and contains the
phosphates in assimilable condition. Would that the adulteration
of milk were looked upon in its proper light, us distinctly
criminal!