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89
Sausages.
12 samples analysed were found to be genuine. Two of these contained
163 and 25 parts of sulphur dioxide per million respectively. A maximum
limit of 450 parts sulphur dioxide per million is permitted. In each case the
presence of the preservative was declared by the vendor.
Jam.
Of 6 samples of jam, two contained 37 and 14 parts of sulphur dioxide
per million respectively. All the samples were genuine.
Jam must not contain more than 40 parts of sulphur dioxide per million.
Drugs.
Of 92 drugs examined, 4 or 4.3 per cent., were adulterated.
J 27 Zinc Ointment (Informal). Deficient in zinc oxide to the
extent of 11.3 per cent.
A further sample from the same vendor was satisfactory.
A 91 Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine (Informal). 15.8 per cent.
deficient in ammonia.
A 92 Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine (Informal). 14.9 per cent.
deficient in ammonia.
A 97 Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine (Same vendor as A 92).
15.8 per cent. deficient in ammonia.
A repeat sample taken from the vendor of A 91 was of satisfactory
strength.
In the case of A 97 legal proceedings were taken. The vendor stated
that he had had one pint of the tincture in stock for three days only and
that it must have been received by him at practically the same strength as
he had sold it. The wholesale chemists concerned made themselves responsible
for his defence. A public analyst appearing for the defence agreed with the
figures of analysis—his figures showed a 17.7 per cent. deficiency of ammonia
as compared with the 15.8 per cent. deficiency shown above—but regarded
the loss of ammonia as negligible and due to loss in filtration during manufacture
and in opening the bottle while dispensing. Similar evidence was given
by the analyst to the wholesale firm, but neither analyst produced figures
to support his statements.
For the prosecution, the results of a series of experiments made in this
laboratory to ascertain the amount of loss of ammonia caused by dispensing
a pint of the tincture in small quantities over a period of three days were