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sugar forming substances have been reduced to a minimum. This flour
cannot therefore be truly described as a diabetic food. There could be no
great difference in effect between taking this flour or a little less of an ordinary
flour. Further, ordinary flour costs about 2½d. per pound whereas this flour
was sold in 6 pound bags costing 6s. 6d. per bag.
Allowing that no food of this type should be purchased without previous
medical advice, it is nevertheless highly desirable that a purchaser should
be shown the composition of the food purchased, particularly as it is described
and sold as suitable for a specific purpose (the purchaser was informed
that it was good for diabetes) without any qualification or warning whatsoever
as to its fitness or otherwise in different stages of the complaint.
A sample of this diabetic flour No. 1 was therefore taken under the Act
and was condemned as it was in my opinion "sold to the prejudice of the
purchaser" and was "not of the nature, substance or quality of the article
demanded by the purchaser."
On the instructions of the Public Health Committee, the vendor was
cautioned and it was suggested that an analysis of the flour should be printed
on the bags.
The vendors stated that the flour was sold exactly as it was received from
the millers and that the millers accepted the responsibility for the article.
The millers stated that they published a booklet containing a warning that
no diabetic patients should select their diet without first consulting a doctor
(this booklet was not given with the flour) and that they sold three kinds of
flour, No. 1 for mild cases, No. 2 for severe cases, and No. 3 for acute cases.
They agreed to place an analysis of the contents in each bag.
Drugs.
Of 129 drugs examined 5 or 3.9 per cent. failed to comply with the
requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia and were returned as adulterated.
S 22 Boric Ointment (Informal). 14.5 per cent. deficient in boric
acid. Two further samples purchased informally from the same
vendor were genuine.
J 26 Castor Oil (Informal). Contained 60 per cent. of glycerine.
The presence of the glycerine was no doubt accidental as the
liquids formed two immiscible layers. A further sample taken
formally was genuine.