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THE PRESERVATIVES AND COLOURING MATTERS IN FOOD.
279 possible after it left the cow. He thought all milk should be consumed within 48 hours of the time it left the cow. His feeling was not quite so strong about butter because he realised that in the case of large communities it might be necessary to use preservatives. If he found that large companies were reguiarly supplying butter free from preservatives, then, of course, his opinion would be modified. As to colouring, he did not think that milk should be coloured even with a harmless matter because this was done simply to make as
THE PRESERVATIVES AND COLOURING MATTERS IN FOOD. EVIDENCE BEFORE THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE.
the purchaser imagine he was getting a superior article, and he should THURSDAY, JAN. 18TH. ] prohibit colouring in butter. Formalin was being more and more used by dairymen. He had not had so much experience of THE Committee appointed by the President of the Local Governmenti formalin, but he did not approve of it, being of opinion that it was Board to inquire into the question of preservatives and’ colouridginjurious. matters in food met to-day, with Sir HERBERT MAXWELL, M.P., in the By Dr. BULSTRODE : It was only the children who took milk from a particular source who suffered. Others living in the same district who chair, and examined three more witnesses. were supplied from a different source did not suffer. His view was that Mr. T. F. BLACKWELL, chairman of Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell, if medical men were aware of the substances used as preservatives they stated in examination in chief that his firm did not use preservatives would be on the look-out for mischief and would be able to provide this in making their jams and therefore it was not within his knowledge Committee with direct evidence, but at present they were unaware of a that they were used. At the same time it was the fact that the firm possible cause of mischief. He could say from his own knowledge In his that there were farms which on account of their bad water-supply and were frequently offered certain preservatives for use in jam. state of filth could not produce milk and send it a distance without were There chemical were two recourse to preservatives, and he asserted that if the Dairies, Cowsheds, preservatives quite unnecessary. opinion of was to boil methods the fruit pulp and put it and Milkshops Order were duly carried out and proper precautions were preserving fruit-one away in stock tins, treated simply with heat, and the other was to boil it taken no need would exist for preservatives. By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: He knew that boric acid was used with and put it away in large bottles or casks fumigated with sulphurous acid in cases of diarrhoea, but it was most essential that the advantage gas. In the same way he considered chemical preservatives in meat to be physician should have control of the amount consumed, and he could quite unnecessary and his firm never used them. Though he did not see not have this control if boric acid were taken in the milk and other He did not consider that experiments on lower animals gave the need for prohibition he thought a declaration of their presence food. much value in this connexion, and very often they were results of might be required on the label. His firm sealed their potted meats and not carriedvery out with a sufficiently open mind. of that kind in closed or and all tins hermetically jars, they things Dr. WILLIAM HENRY CORFIELD, Professor of Hygiene and Public underwent a process of preserving by heat, but any chemical addition Health in University College, London, and medical officer of health was quite unnecessary. Peas and other vegetables were coloured with and formerly public analyst for St. George’s, Hanover-square, said, in to the CHAIRMAN, that he had given special attention to salicylic sulphate of copper to meet the public taste. For many years his firm reply acid and boric acid. He had had experience of the external effects of had dealt in peas which were uncoloured, but while they sold large the former. It was a slightly irritating substance and he had had expequantities of them abroad they were not at all popular in this country. rience of it for the removal of corns and warts. He had had very little They sold French vegetables in bottles which were all slightly coloured experience of it in internal use. As a physician he regarded salicylic and they stated upon the price list that they were prepared in acid as a most undesirable article to introduce into food. It was extremely undesirable that either it or boric acid should be consumed France and were artificially coloured. They should be quite by invalids or children and even if a limit were prescribed it would be prepared to make this statement upon the label on the impossible to secure its observance. If a person were taking a small bottle. The only colouring matter used in jam was extract fixed quantity of salicylic acid day by day tt was not certain that he of cochineal which he believed to be perfectly harmless ; it was would get rid of it each day ; the evidence was that there was a tendency to accumulation in this drug. Of course, with this as with other drugs a. used to secure uniformity of colour and only a very small person might accustom himself to its use, but that was no reason why of it was The firm were offered continually being required. quantity they should allow it to be placed in milk as a preservative. Though he both at home and abroad aniline colours. They had an articlecould not say from his own knowledge he believed that the system, called lemon squash which was free from chemical preservative could not void more than a certain amount of boric acid in 24 hours. It was undesirable that anyone should consume more than he could and when occasionally it became mouldy and customers com- I get rid of and, besides, boric acid was obviously not a food. He should plained they told them that this condition could only be avoidedL advocate the prohibition of boric acid as a preservative unless it could by the use of chemical preservatives which they considered wouldLbe clearly shown that the drug was perfectly harmless in any quantity that it was possible to have it added. He regarded salt as upon quite be injurious. different level, for salt was part of the human body and a certain In his the did a Dr. not much BuLSTRODE: opinion public By pay very amount of it was necessary to existence. He did not think that proattention either to preservatives or colouring matters so long as theyhibition would have a serious effect upon the milk-supply of large got a pleasant looking and tasting article, but he might say that his because methods could easily be devised-methods of refrigerafirm had no objection to both colouring matters and preservatives beingtowns tion and so on-which would enable milk to be brought from a distance declared on the label. without At one time boric acid was largely used By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: Even in the case of apricot pulp coming frominternally,preservatives. but now it was very little so used. He had the authority abroad his tirm took care to see that it contained no preservative. of the partner in a large firm of wholesale druggists for this latter Mr. JOHN TUBB THOMAS, county medical officer of health of Wilt- statement. shire, said, in reply to the CHAIRMAN, that both as a medical practiDr. BULSTRODE: If preservatives were usel in sufficient quantity tioner and as a public officer he had given considerable attention to the toBy their effect upon the food, to prevent the change produce in food. When in in of preservatives question practice Newport, of that food fromantiseptic one form to another, they must to a certain extent serious from boric acid in he found results milk, interfere with the digestive change in the food, although the actions Monmouthshire, especially in the case of children. He had children under treatment the same. He could not say that this view had been suffering from diarrhcea and also from convulsions and he prescribed altogetherexactly borne out by recent experiments, but while that was so he for them boric acid with their food in small doses ranging from one to) did not think that experiments upon lower animals should decide this five grains. Instead of improving they got worse. The diarrhoea matter. In the absence of direct evidence to the contrary he should increased, the children became emaciated, and some of them died. He that the drug was harmful. made inquiries and he found that the milk used by all the childrenassume By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE:His view was that it was incumbent upon the contained a further proportion of boric acid. He ascertained this by advocates of to prove their harmlessness. His greatest quantitative analysis and also by interviewing the milkman. He had ex- objection waspreservatives in milk because milk was so against preservatives and was in with boric acid himself he perimented upon goodhealth though an article of food for invalids and young children, and at the time his digestive organs became entirely upset ; he suffered from important he objected to their presence in butter his objection was not diarrhoea and headache and there were irritation of the skin and other so strong because in butter they were not likely to do so much harm. he had to was The conclusion come that boric disagreeable symptoms. The Committee then adjourned. acid should certainly not be used in milk. In working-class communities he found that of the milk sold in the street more than 85 per FRIDAY, JAN. 19TH. cent. was consumed by children or by adults in bad health, and of course this milk might be dosed several times with boric acid and produce The Committee met again to-day, Sir HERBERT MAXWELL presiding. Mr. WALTER COLLINGWOOD WILLIAMS. public analyst, Liverpoul, many serious results. He therefore advocatedthe entire prohibition of preservatives in new milk and he said that even in large towns to examined by the CHAIRMAN, said that he and Dr. Campbell Brown which the milk was brought from a distance their use was quite examined every year about 3000 samples of food of one kind and unnecessary. He regarded preservatives as a premium upon filth. He another taken in the city of Liverpool and various parts of the adwas perfectly convinced of this, that a very large number of the ministrative county of Lancashire. Last year in 1052 samples of new medical men of England if they knew more about the subject would milk they only met boric acid in four cases, and in 200 samples of skim have been able to give that Committee direct evidence as to the effect milk they met with it in nine cases. So far as their researches went of boric acid. Many of them knew little about the subject, it would appear that the fresh milk trade in Liverpool was carried on and others had been misled by the literature distributed amongst almost entirely without the use of preservatives and, strange them gratuitously by the syndicate in America interested in the to say, it seemed that borates were used more in winter sale of boric acid. He handed in to the Committee a copy of a than in summer. They had three cases in January, three in had so the been distributed. In the case of farmer pamphlet which February, one in March, four in April, four in May, four the man was given to understand that these preservatives were perin June, and none in the remaining months until December, and harmless he dosed his milk with them rule oj when they had one case. They had obtained a conviction for the use of fectly by simple thumb. He had one instance where the milk contained as much BE formalin in milk, and they had endeavoured, but without success, to, 125 grains of pure boric acid to the gallon. As a sanitarian he said that obtain one for the use of salicylic acid in certain temperance wines, if preservatives were allowed they would simply be putting back thE while with regard to boric acid he did not think that any prosecution hands of the clock so far as sanitary improvements in rural district ! had been instituted. He would not say that in Liverpool the use of were concerned. He did not see how a simple declaration of the presence formalin in milk was illegal, but this conviction had been obtained and of the preservative would do any good, because people would be told ir its effect had certainly been to check its use. During last year they milk that the was all the better had examined six samples of cream and had found boric hcid or borate the literature of this wealthy syndicate in proportions varying from 17 to 38 grains to the pint, the proportion for the addition of boric acid. He admitted, of course, that mill in winter being rather larger than in summer. One sample was quite, would keep all the longer for the preservative, but he did no unfit for use, for while it was not sour it contained curd. In his want the milk kept longer; he wanted it to be consumed as soon ’
,
were not
though c
280 opinion the appearance of staleness was kept away by the preservaDuring the period from May to December they examined about 200 samples of butter expressly for boric acid and borate and found 56 with it in proportions ranging from two to 62 grains per pound. Recently they examined about 20 samples of jam and found 15 of them preserved with salicylic acid, the quantity varying from a quarter of a grain in strawberry to four and a half grains in black-cnrrant per
about the mischief.
tive.
mortality during
one
In another table he
displayed the rates of infantile eight-year period (1891-98) in England and Wales country-also the quarterly distribution of
and various parts of the the same :-
pound of jam. The amount of salicylic acid in some temperance drinks usually consumed by children was perfectly astounding. In lime-juice cordial they had found from 20 to 108 grains per gallon, in lemon squash 50 grains per gallon, in ginger wine from 49 to 115 grains per gallon, in raspberry wine from 87 to 133 grains per gallon, in orange
wine from 94 to 106 grains per gallon, and in black-currant wine from 47 to 140 grains per gallon. He had performed some artificial experiments with regard to digestion and found that salicylic acid had a very prejudicial effect in certain cases. As to colouring, his experience went to show that peas were almost invariably coloured by compounds of copper-a practice which he thought required very strict control. He had seen peas coloured by so small a proportion as a quarter of a grain of sulphate of copper per pound, and it this sufficed, as it apparently did, he did not see why a larger quantity should be used. Dr. JAMES ROBERT KAYE, Wakefield, medical officer of health of the West Riding of Yorkshire, was the next witness and in answer to the CHAIRMAN said that the area for which he was responsible had a population, roughly speaking, of 1,250,000. When this Committee asked for information he set on toot an inquiry into the question of milk and butter with which some progress had been made, though it was not yet completed. This inquiry showed that the use of preservatives was greatly on the increase and especially so during the last two or three years. They had found milk-dealers, dairymen, farmers, butchers. and even tripe-dressers using them. Among 17 samples of milk taken in hot weather they found 13 with boric acid or formalin, while 13 samples taken in similar conditions, but during the months of October and November, were entirely free from either preservative. These samples were taken from vendors in the streets or from milkshops. The majority of the people to whom he spoke on the subject said the preservatives were necessary, though he could not say they had convinced him of this ; indeed, his opinion was that preservatives in dairy produce were not necessary, and he certainly considered them undesirable. He was afraid the provisions of the dairy and milkshops regulations were not very stringently enforced and their evasion was rather facilitated than otherwise by the use of preservatives. When a man employed them he thought, for instance, that cold instead of boiling water sufficed to clean his vessels. Indeed, he found that people in the dairy trade had wonderful ideas about preservatives apart altogether from their preserving effect-ideas about their counteracting insanitary conditions in cowsheds, about the excessive use of brewery grains, abut their effect upon milk taken from cows with diseased udders, and the like. He had prepared a series of tables for the consideration of the Committee. The first of these gave a few examples of advertised preservatives. One of them was advertised as 11 medically guaranteed, absolutely harmless, and pure " and as I I extensively employed in the hotel, household, restaurant, and ship’s cabin." This preservative contained 85’5 per cent. of boric acid and 14’5 per cent. of borax, and the directions for use were for milk seven grains per pint, for butter 31 grains per pound, and for sausage 30 grains Another of these preservatives. was advertised as per pound. "harmless and effective, safe and reliable, none need be afraid to It also contained 85’5 per cent. of boric acid and 14’5 use it." per cent. of borax, and the directions for use were for sausage, &c., 44 grains per pound and for gravy, soups, &c., nine grains per pint. A third preservative, which contained 100 per cent. of boric acid, was advertised as "harmless and effectual," and the directions for its use were for milk seven grains per pint, but "for small consumers a teaspoonful will be sufficient for a quart of milk," for cream nine grains per pint, and for sausage 45 grains per pound. Another preservative which had not been analysed was said to be "totally harmless to the most delicate child" and the directions for its use were for milk 11 grains per pint and for butter 125 grains per pound. His experience went to show that preservatives were more frequently present in adulterated than in pure articles. He had attempted to show that this increasing and indiscriminate use of preservatives was not without effect upon public health. He had prepared a table showing the infantile mortality in England and Wales during the 20 years 18781897 arranged in five-yearly periods. For comparison the general deathrate of the same period was also shown:-
seen that instead of an improvement which one might from modern improved sanitary conditions there had been an increase in the sacrifice of infantile life and that this increase was The coincident with a steady decrease in the general death-rate. question, therefore, arose, What were the factors which produced this men about infantile mortality? Medical the might say something employment of mothers in factories and other places, but this emall went on the while the increase in the infantile round, year ployment mortality was practically limited to the third quarter of the year. This quarter was the quarter in which the maximum amount of milk was used amongst children, and he had endeavoured to show that the use of preservatives in milk mght at any rate play a part in bringing
It would be
expect
It would be found that not only was practically the whole of the inin the third quarter of the year, but that during the last eight years there had been an improvement in the first and second quarters, while the fourth quarter had been stationary. Considering the great sanitary progress and the improvement in the general death-rate this increase in the infantile mortality in the third quarter of the year must be due to something unusual, and the question became, What was it that was unusual ? As far as he could see the use of preservatives was unusual and was increasing every day and therefore he was inclined to put down some at any rate of this increase in infantile mortality to excessive use during the third quarter of the year of preservatives in milk. By Dr. BULSTRODE: He did not attempt to establish that autumnal was due to the use of preservatives in milk, but that it might be a factor in preventing a fall in the mortality from infantile diarrhcea. Preservatives prevented the milk from’becoming manifestly sour, but while that was so they might not prevent other action going on in the milk which was deleterious to the infant consuming the milk. His experience was that in hot weather over 70 per cent. of the samples had preservatives, while in winter they found that practically none had them. He intended to carry his investigations further and hoped to get more information which would enable him to decide whether preservatives were only used in milk in hot weather. His view was that in the present state of things infants and invalids suffered and that if the use of preservatives went on unchecked healthy adults would also suffer. By Dr. TUNNICUFFE : In his district tinned milks were largely used in some places, but not by the class of people’among whom the infantile mortality was greatest. Mr. OTTO HEHNER (public analyst for several districts of England) next gave evidence. He had devoted special attention, he said, to butter and had found that at least 90 per cent. of the samples he had examined contained borax preservatives. Nearly all the butter in the rural districts of the south of England was coloured, but in the Midlands he had sometimes found uncoloured butter. A few years ago annatto was the colour used, but now the practice was to use aniline dyes, though not in quantities to be injurious to health. He frequently found colouring matter in milk, and while he did not like the practice he did not regard it as a very urgent matter. The Committee then adjourned. crease
’
diarrhoea
MONDAY, JAN. 22ND. The Committee held another meeting to-day when Sir HERBERT MAXWELL again presided. Mr. H. DROOP RICHMOND, resident analyst’to the Aylesbury Dairy Company, London, was the first witness examined, and in answer to Professor THORPE he said that although the Aylesbury Dairy Company did not employ preservatives in milk or cream or in any butter made by them he had given considerable attention to the subject and he had prepared for the Committee a table showing the results of analyses with reference to boric acid and salicylic acid. In his experience he found that the preservatives most favoured were a mixture of borax and boric acid and formalin. When the latter was added to milk it appeared to toughen the proteids, probably the casein chiefly. That was shown by the fact that when the fat was heated with hydrochloric acid the casein took very much longer to be dissolved upon boiling than if no formalin had been added. He should say that first of all a combination had taken place and there was some ground for assuming that the casein was in a more insoluble form and probably a form more difficult of digestion. He should not like, however, In cream to say that this conclusion was entirely justified. there was sometimes used a solution of lime and cane sugar which acted as a preservative, retarding the time when the evidence of curdling and souring was shown to the consumer. This solution also made the cream look thicker. At one time the Aylesbury Dairy Company added 0’2 per cent. of boric acid to cream, but they no longer did so. They found that the presence of the preservative was objected to by a considerable section of the public, and after experimenting they discovered that they could supply cream in a fresh state without it. At one time they used boric acid for butter. There were two ways which they had of using it; one was to wash the butter with a solution directly after churning it and the other was to mix the acid with the butter and work it in. Now, however, they no longer used preservatives in the butter which they made. The butters from France
281 which they imported were habitually preserved, and having regard to the methods of production and collection in that country he was afraid that unless some preservative were added there might be trouble He did not think, however, that the in regard to keeping. acid compounds was absolutely necessary, even use of boric in these butters, for a small percentage of salt could be added with equally good results. Up to last year he found that Australian butters were invariably preserved, but last year he met one or two samples which were free from preservatives. These samples when they reached the laboratory were in as good condition as the others, and therefore he should infer that there was no need for preservatives in Australian butters. Boric acid and salicylic acid were preservatives which could be estimated with ease and accuracy, but in the case of formaldehyde it could not at the present moment be estimated
quantitatively. By Dr. BULSTRODE:His opinion
much
less quantity might a certain quantity of copper a serious mischief to another person. He should prohibit the use 4f copper in peas simply because one never knew how it might affect people. A mere declaration that the peas were artificially coloured would not, in his opinion, meet the case nor would a declaration that they were coloured with copper, because the consumer might not be aware that copper was poisonous. If the declaration were to the effect that the peas were coloured with a poisonous matter then it might have some effect. By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: He considered it to be the duty of people who employed colouring matters to prove that they were not injurious and if they failed to do so to give up the practice. Mr. JOHN MITCHELL HARRIS, managing director of C. and T. Harris and Company, bacon curers, Calne, Wiltshire, and deputy chairman of the Bacon Curers’ Association, gave evidence as to the use of borax in the bacon industry. He stated that his own firm employed nothing beyond salt and saltpetre and found no need for borax, even in connexion with their export trade. The Committee adjourned, to meet again at the end of a fortnight.
impunity cause
was that if milk would keep sweet for 18 hours that was sufficient for their trade, and he should consider that a fair limit for all classes of trade. He did not see why milk At a temperature of 70° F. should be kept longer than 18 hours. milk would keep for 34 hours before it turned sour, at a temperature of 80° for 22 hours, and at a temperature of 90° for 15 hours. In the hottest weather of last year the maximum temperature of milk as it arrived at their dairy at Bayswater was 770 F. and of milk after it had gone on a round and been brought back to the dairy 830 F. He thought that he should be right in assuming that the average temperature would not have been higher than 80° F. In these circumstances they found that t hey could supply fresh milk and allow customers three or four hours at least for its consumption. By the CHAIRMAN: Instead of limiting the amount of preservative used he should rather advocate prohibition. The preservatives came Sucessful applicants for Vacancies, Secretaries of Public Institutiona, into the hands of dairymen under fancy names and unless they had and others Possessing information 8uitable for this column, are did know of not the quantity the preservative special information they invited to forward it to THE LANCET Office, directed to the Subwere or its and not so but same the article nature, using they only Editor, not later than 9 o’clock on the Thur8day morning of each might be dosed several times by different people. The only colouring matter used by the company was annatto. week, for publication in the next number. Mr. HATTERSLEY, managing director of the Aylesbury Dairy Comin to that of the CHAIRMAN, the greater part their pany, said, reply milk-supply came from Berkshire and Wiltshire, though some came from a county so remote from London as Cheshire. All the milk came BAILEY, BERNARD, E. G., M.R.O.S., L.R.C.P., has been appointed Second House Physician for the City of London Hospital for free from preservatives. The opinion of the company was that preDiseases of the Chest, Victoria Park, E. servatives were not necessary. During 1899 they had well over 5,000,000 deliveries of milk and only 78 letters of complaint about sourness, which showed, he thought, that the milk gave satisfaction to their BLAIR, A. B., M.B., C.M. Edin., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Banwell (first) Sanitary District of the Axbridge Union, vice customers. He considered that they were fairly well served by the D. Lawson, resigned. railway companies. Occasionally it happened that the milk was sent to London in a fish truck or in a waggon or van which had E. J., L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.O.S., has been appointed Medical contained fish and in consequence the flavour of the milk was affected. DECK, Officer for the No. 2 Sanitary District by the Hastings Board of In the contracts they made with the farmers they had strict provisions Guardians. as to eooling the milk, for milk could not be brought to London from a distance in proper condition unless it had been carefully cooled. The FORREST. J. S.. L R.C.P. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has been appointed demand for Pasteurised milk was small in London, though there was Medical Officer and Public Vaccinator by the Ainwick Rural District a considerable trade in sterilised milk. The company separated the cream Council. at their dairy at Bayswater with the exception of one small lot which they obtained from a farm close to London, and they used no preserva- FRASER, S., M.B., C.M. Edin., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Edmonton Sanitary District of the Edmonton Union, vice In 1899 they had six letters of complaint about tives for the cream. J. Hodges. cream, which averaged about 0’05 per 1000 quarts of cream delivered. All the butter they made themselves was free from preservatives. With HEATON. GEORGE, M.B., B.Ch. Oxon., F.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond., regard to the colourin g of milk, they had tried several times to do without of 33, Temple-row, Birmingham, has been appointed a Medical it, but customers objected and they had had to resume colouring. He Referee under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1897, and to act regretted this much because he should‘greatly prefer to have the milk for County Court Circuit No. 21. sold uncoloured. By Dr. BULSTRODE: The company had kept butter in their own HEDLEY, W. F., M.B. Edin., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has dairies for a fortnight without ice and he had no doubt if the methods been appointed Medical Officer for the Hallaton Sanitary District of the French butter-making industry were altered the French butter of the Uppingham vice H. A. Cruttwell, resigned. could be imported into this country free from preservatives. ALEXANDER C-., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond., has been appointed By Professor THORPE: Their milk-supply in a year amounted to HIGGINS, House Surgeon to the West Kent General Hospital, Maidstone, 1,500,000 gallons and it came from about 50 farms whose average vice F. T. Travers, resigned. distance from London was from 70 to 80 miles. This supply was distributed among considerably over 100,COO persons. HOPE, A. A.. M.B., B.S. Durh., has been appointed Medical Officer for Dr. DUPRÉ of the Home Office was next examined, and in answer to the Fifth 8anitary District of the Daventry Union, vice F. W. the CHAIRMAN he said he objected to preservatives in milk because in Fowke, resigned. his opinion they did away with the guarantee of cleanliness. He took this objection quite apart from the question of harmfulness, about JONES, CHARLES STURGES, M.R.C.S. Eng., L.S.A., has been re-appointed Medical Officer of Health for Chichester. which, no doubt, there was great difference of opinion. Further, he thought it objectionable that a chemical substance should be mixed Laszor2, J., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edin., L.F.P.S, Glasg., has been indiscriminately with food unknown to the consumer. Few people appointed Medical Officer to the Poplar Workhouse, London. visited and inspected dairies, but every person knew when milk was sour, and this constituted a great protection; he objected to preLlVEBSiB&E, WM., M.B. Lond., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., has been appointed servatives because they took away this protection. Having regard to a Civil Medical Officer, and has proceeded to the seat of war, .South the tact that milk was the only food of infants and invalids it was Africa. most important that it should be really good, and therefore he was Low, R. B., M. D. Edin., D.P.H. Camb., has been appointed an Assistant more concerned about it than about the other articles in which they Medical Officer to the Local Government Board. found preservatives. The CHAIRMAN: Are you aware that preservatives are largely used MCCALL, ANTHONY, M.D. Glasg., has been appointed Surgeon to the Throat and Ear Department of the Boscombe in fish ? Hospital, Bournemouh. Dr. DUPRÉ: Yes, from hearsay ; I have never got fish to analyse. The CHAIRMAN: Would you think it important that it should be MACKIE, G., M.B., C.M. Aberd., has been appointed Assistant Medical Officer for the Infirmary and Workhouse of the Parish of St. Georgeknown ? in-the-East, London, vice U. K. Tebay, resigned. Dr. DupRE: Yes. I would have the same objection in the case of fish as I have in the case of milk. Fresh fish is a guarantee that it has MANBY, E. P., M.D. Camb., M.R.C.S., D.P.H., has been appointed an been rectntly caught. Officer on the staff of Medical Inspectors by the Local Government Board. The CHAIRMAN: Are you aware that fish taken in the North Sea are put in formalin and kept for many days and even weeks before being; NEVINS, J. E., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical brought to the market ? Officer for the Workhouse, Liverpool. Dr. DUPRÉ: I did not know that. H. F., M.D. Lond., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. Cambridge, has been PARSONS, The CHAIRMAN : If that were proved to be the case would you think appointed Assistant Medical Officer and Medical Inspector for it a desirable thing ? General Sanitary Purposes to the Local Government Board. Dr. DupRE: I should think it in the highest degree undesirable. PERCIVAL, A. S., M.B. Camb., has been appointed Honorary Surgeon to The CHAIRMAN: Have you never experienced a hard sole ? Eye Infirmary. Dr. DUPRÉ: Yes; but I never attributed it to any keeping of thatt POWER, W. H., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer to the kind. Local Government Board, vice the late Sir R. Thorne. Further examined by the CHAIRMAN, Dr. DUPRÉ said that in hi,s opinion no colouring matter which was considered poisonous should be REED, W. H., M.R.C.S., has been re-appointed Medieal Officer of employed in any quantity. He should certainly not allow copper to b( Health by the Westbury and Whorwellsdown Rural District used tor the colouring of peas, for while one person might take witta Council.
Appointments.
Union,
.
-
the Newcastle
THE PRESERVATIVES AND COLOURING MATTERS IN FOOD. EVIDENCE BEFORE THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE.
the purchaser imagine he was getting a superior article, and he should THURSDAY, JAN. 18TH. ] prohibit colouring in butter. Formalin was being more and more used by dairymen. He had not had so much experience of THE Committee appointed by the President of the Local Governmenti formalin, but he did not approve of it, being of opinion that it was Board to inquire into the question of preservatives and’ colouridginjurious. matters in food met to-day, with Sir HERBERT MAXWELL, M.P., in the By Dr. BULSTRODE : It was only the children who took milk from a particular source who suffered. Others living in the same district who chair, and examined three more witnesses. were supplied from a different source did not suffer. His view was that Mr. T. F. BLACKWELL, chairman of Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell, if medical men were aware of the substances used as preservatives they stated in examination in chief that his firm did not use preservatives would be on the look-out for mischief and would be able to provide this in making their jams and therefore it was not within his knowledge Committee with direct evidence, but at present they were unaware of a that they were used. At the same time it was the fact that the firm possible cause of mischief. He could say from his own knowledge In his that there were farms which on account of their bad water-supply and were frequently offered certain preservatives for use in jam. state of filth could not produce milk and send it a distance without were There chemical were two recourse to preservatives, and he asserted that if the Dairies, Cowsheds, preservatives quite unnecessary. opinion of was to boil methods the fruit pulp and put it and Milkshops Order were duly carried out and proper precautions were preserving fruit-one away in stock tins, treated simply with heat, and the other was to boil it taken no need would exist for preservatives. By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: He knew that boric acid was used with and put it away in large bottles or casks fumigated with sulphurous acid in cases of diarrhoea, but it was most essential that the advantage gas. In the same way he considered chemical preservatives in meat to be physician should have control of the amount consumed, and he could quite unnecessary and his firm never used them. Though he did not see not have this control if boric acid were taken in the milk and other He did not consider that experiments on lower animals gave the need for prohibition he thought a declaration of their presence food. much value in this connexion, and very often they were results of might be required on the label. His firm sealed their potted meats and not carriedvery out with a sufficiently open mind. of that kind in closed or and all tins hermetically jars, they things Dr. WILLIAM HENRY CORFIELD, Professor of Hygiene and Public underwent a process of preserving by heat, but any chemical addition Health in University College, London, and medical officer of health was quite unnecessary. Peas and other vegetables were coloured with and formerly public analyst for St. George’s, Hanover-square, said, in to the CHAIRMAN, that he had given special attention to salicylic sulphate of copper to meet the public taste. For many years his firm reply acid and boric acid. He had had experience of the external effects of had dealt in peas which were uncoloured, but while they sold large the former. It was a slightly irritating substance and he had had expequantities of them abroad they were not at all popular in this country. rience of it for the removal of corns and warts. He had had very little They sold French vegetables in bottles which were all slightly coloured experience of it in internal use. As a physician he regarded salicylic and they stated upon the price list that they were prepared in acid as a most undesirable article to introduce into food. It was extremely undesirable that either it or boric acid should be consumed France and were artificially coloured. They should be quite by invalids or children and even if a limit were prescribed it would be prepared to make this statement upon the label on the impossible to secure its observance. If a person were taking a small bottle. The only colouring matter used in jam was extract fixed quantity of salicylic acid day by day tt was not certain that he of cochineal which he believed to be perfectly harmless ; it was would get rid of it each day ; the evidence was that there was a tendency to accumulation in this drug. Of course, with this as with other drugs a. used to secure uniformity of colour and only a very small person might accustom himself to its use, but that was no reason why of it was The firm were offered continually being required. quantity they should allow it to be placed in milk as a preservative. Though he both at home and abroad aniline colours. They had an articlecould not say from his own knowledge he believed that the system, called lemon squash which was free from chemical preservative could not void more than a certain amount of boric acid in 24 hours. It was undesirable that anyone should consume more than he could and when occasionally it became mouldy and customers com- I get rid of and, besides, boric acid was obviously not a food. He should plained they told them that this condition could only be avoidedL advocate the prohibition of boric acid as a preservative unless it could by the use of chemical preservatives which they considered wouldLbe clearly shown that the drug was perfectly harmless in any quantity that it was possible to have it added. He regarded salt as upon quite be injurious. different level, for salt was part of the human body and a certain In his the did a Dr. not much BuLSTRODE: opinion public By pay very amount of it was necessary to existence. He did not think that proattention either to preservatives or colouring matters so long as theyhibition would have a serious effect upon the milk-supply of large got a pleasant looking and tasting article, but he might say that his because methods could easily be devised-methods of refrigerafirm had no objection to both colouring matters and preservatives beingtowns tion and so on-which would enable milk to be brought from a distance declared on the label. without At one time boric acid was largely used By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: Even in the case of apricot pulp coming frominternally,preservatives. but now it was very little so used. He had the authority abroad his tirm took care to see that it contained no preservative. of the partner in a large firm of wholesale druggists for this latter Mr. JOHN TUBB THOMAS, county medical officer of health of Wilt- statement. shire, said, in reply to the CHAIRMAN, that both as a medical practiDr. BULSTRODE: If preservatives were usel in sufficient quantity tioner and as a public officer he had given considerable attention to the toBy their effect upon the food, to prevent the change produce in food. When in in of preservatives question practice Newport, of that food fromantiseptic one form to another, they must to a certain extent serious from boric acid in he found results milk, interfere with the digestive change in the food, although the actions Monmouthshire, especially in the case of children. He had children under treatment the same. He could not say that this view had been suffering from diarrhcea and also from convulsions and he prescribed altogetherexactly borne out by recent experiments, but while that was so he for them boric acid with their food in small doses ranging from one to) did not think that experiments upon lower animals should decide this five grains. Instead of improving they got worse. The diarrhoea matter. In the absence of direct evidence to the contrary he should increased, the children became emaciated, and some of them died. He that the drug was harmful. made inquiries and he found that the milk used by all the childrenassume By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE:His view was that it was incumbent upon the contained a further proportion of boric acid. He ascertained this by advocates of to prove their harmlessness. His greatest quantitative analysis and also by interviewing the milkman. He had ex- objection waspreservatives in milk because milk was so against preservatives and was in with boric acid himself he perimented upon goodhealth though an article of food for invalids and young children, and at the time his digestive organs became entirely upset ; he suffered from important he objected to their presence in butter his objection was not diarrhoea and headache and there were irritation of the skin and other so strong because in butter they were not likely to do so much harm. he had to was The conclusion come that boric disagreeable symptoms. The Committee then adjourned. acid should certainly not be used in milk. In working-class communities he found that of the milk sold in the street more than 85 per FRIDAY, JAN. 19TH. cent. was consumed by children or by adults in bad health, and of course this milk might be dosed several times with boric acid and produce The Committee met again to-day, Sir HERBERT MAXWELL presiding. Mr. WALTER COLLINGWOOD WILLIAMS. public analyst, Liverpoul, many serious results. He therefore advocatedthe entire prohibition of preservatives in new milk and he said that even in large towns to examined by the CHAIRMAN, said that he and Dr. Campbell Brown which the milk was brought from a distance their use was quite examined every year about 3000 samples of food of one kind and unnecessary. He regarded preservatives as a premium upon filth. He another taken in the city of Liverpool and various parts of the adwas perfectly convinced of this, that a very large number of the ministrative county of Lancashire. Last year in 1052 samples of new medical men of England if they knew more about the subject would milk they only met boric acid in four cases, and in 200 samples of skim have been able to give that Committee direct evidence as to the effect milk they met with it in nine cases. So far as their researches went of boric acid. Many of them knew little about the subject, it would appear that the fresh milk trade in Liverpool was carried on and others had been misled by the literature distributed amongst almost entirely without the use of preservatives and, strange them gratuitously by the syndicate in America interested in the to say, it seemed that borates were used more in winter sale of boric acid. He handed in to the Committee a copy of a than in summer. They had three cases in January, three in had so the been distributed. In the case of farmer pamphlet which February, one in March, four in April, four in May, four the man was given to understand that these preservatives were perin June, and none in the remaining months until December, and harmless he dosed his milk with them rule oj when they had one case. They had obtained a conviction for the use of fectly by simple thumb. He had one instance where the milk contained as much BE formalin in milk, and they had endeavoured, but without success, to, 125 grains of pure boric acid to the gallon. As a sanitarian he said that obtain one for the use of salicylic acid in certain temperance wines, if preservatives were allowed they would simply be putting back thE while with regard to boric acid he did not think that any prosecution hands of the clock so far as sanitary improvements in rural district ! had been instituted. He would not say that in Liverpool the use of were concerned. He did not see how a simple declaration of the presence formalin in milk was illegal, but this conviction had been obtained and of the preservative would do any good, because people would be told ir its effect had certainly been to check its use. During last year they milk that the was all the better had examined six samples of cream and had found boric hcid or borate the literature of this wealthy syndicate in proportions varying from 17 to 38 grains to the pint, the proportion for the addition of boric acid. He admitted, of course, that mill in winter being rather larger than in summer. One sample was quite, would keep all the longer for the preservative, but he did no unfit for use, for while it was not sour it contained curd. In his want the milk kept longer; he wanted it to be consumed as soon ’
,
were not
though c
280 opinion the appearance of staleness was kept away by the preservaDuring the period from May to December they examined about 200 samples of butter expressly for boric acid and borate and found 56 with it in proportions ranging from two to 62 grains per pound. Recently they examined about 20 samples of jam and found 15 of them preserved with salicylic acid, the quantity varying from a quarter of a grain in strawberry to four and a half grains in black-cnrrant per
about the mischief.
tive.
mortality during
one
In another table he
displayed the rates of infantile eight-year period (1891-98) in England and Wales country-also the quarterly distribution of
and various parts of the the same :-
pound of jam. The amount of salicylic acid in some temperance drinks usually consumed by children was perfectly astounding. In lime-juice cordial they had found from 20 to 108 grains per gallon, in lemon squash 50 grains per gallon, in ginger wine from 49 to 115 grains per gallon, in raspberry wine from 87 to 133 grains per gallon, in orange
wine from 94 to 106 grains per gallon, and in black-currant wine from 47 to 140 grains per gallon. He had performed some artificial experiments with regard to digestion and found that salicylic acid had a very prejudicial effect in certain cases. As to colouring, his experience went to show that peas were almost invariably coloured by compounds of copper-a practice which he thought required very strict control. He had seen peas coloured by so small a proportion as a quarter of a grain of sulphate of copper per pound, and it this sufficed, as it apparently did, he did not see why a larger quantity should be used. Dr. JAMES ROBERT KAYE, Wakefield, medical officer of health of the West Riding of Yorkshire, was the next witness and in answer to the CHAIRMAN said that the area for which he was responsible had a population, roughly speaking, of 1,250,000. When this Committee asked for information he set on toot an inquiry into the question of milk and butter with which some progress had been made, though it was not yet completed. This inquiry showed that the use of preservatives was greatly on the increase and especially so during the last two or three years. They had found milk-dealers, dairymen, farmers, butchers. and even tripe-dressers using them. Among 17 samples of milk taken in hot weather they found 13 with boric acid or formalin, while 13 samples taken in similar conditions, but during the months of October and November, were entirely free from either preservative. These samples were taken from vendors in the streets or from milkshops. The majority of the people to whom he spoke on the subject said the preservatives were necessary, though he could not say they had convinced him of this ; indeed, his opinion was that preservatives in dairy produce were not necessary, and he certainly considered them undesirable. He was afraid the provisions of the dairy and milkshops regulations were not very stringently enforced and their evasion was rather facilitated than otherwise by the use of preservatives. When a man employed them he thought, for instance, that cold instead of boiling water sufficed to clean his vessels. Indeed, he found that people in the dairy trade had wonderful ideas about preservatives apart altogether from their preserving effect-ideas about their counteracting insanitary conditions in cowsheds, about the excessive use of brewery grains, abut their effect upon milk taken from cows with diseased udders, and the like. He had prepared a series of tables for the consideration of the Committee. The first of these gave a few examples of advertised preservatives. One of them was advertised as 11 medically guaranteed, absolutely harmless, and pure " and as I I extensively employed in the hotel, household, restaurant, and ship’s cabin." This preservative contained 85’5 per cent. of boric acid and 14’5 per cent. of borax, and the directions for use were for milk seven grains per pint, for butter 31 grains per pound, and for sausage 30 grains Another of these preservatives. was advertised as per pound. "harmless and effective, safe and reliable, none need be afraid to It also contained 85’5 per cent. of boric acid and 14’5 use it." per cent. of borax, and the directions for use were for sausage, &c., 44 grains per pound and for gravy, soups, &c., nine grains per pint. A third preservative, which contained 100 per cent. of boric acid, was advertised as "harmless and effectual," and the directions for its use were for milk seven grains per pint, but "for small consumers a teaspoonful will be sufficient for a quart of milk," for cream nine grains per pint, and for sausage 45 grains per pound. Another preservative which had not been analysed was said to be "totally harmless to the most delicate child" and the directions for its use were for milk 11 grains per pint and for butter 125 grains per pound. His experience went to show that preservatives were more frequently present in adulterated than in pure articles. He had attempted to show that this increasing and indiscriminate use of preservatives was not without effect upon public health. He had prepared a table showing the infantile mortality in England and Wales during the 20 years 18781897 arranged in five-yearly periods. For comparison the general deathrate of the same period was also shown:-
seen that instead of an improvement which one might from modern improved sanitary conditions there had been an increase in the sacrifice of infantile life and that this increase was The coincident with a steady decrease in the general death-rate. question, therefore, arose, What were the factors which produced this men about infantile mortality? Medical the might say something employment of mothers in factories and other places, but this emall went on the while the increase in the infantile round, year ployment mortality was practically limited to the third quarter of the year. This quarter was the quarter in which the maximum amount of milk was used amongst children, and he had endeavoured to show that the use of preservatives in milk mght at any rate play a part in bringing
It would be
expect
It would be found that not only was practically the whole of the inin the third quarter of the year, but that during the last eight years there had been an improvement in the first and second quarters, while the fourth quarter had been stationary. Considering the great sanitary progress and the improvement in the general death-rate this increase in the infantile mortality in the third quarter of the year must be due to something unusual, and the question became, What was it that was unusual ? As far as he could see the use of preservatives was unusual and was increasing every day and therefore he was inclined to put down some at any rate of this increase in infantile mortality to excessive use during the third quarter of the year of preservatives in milk. By Dr. BULSTRODE: He did not attempt to establish that autumnal was due to the use of preservatives in milk, but that it might be a factor in preventing a fall in the mortality from infantile diarrhcea. Preservatives prevented the milk from’becoming manifestly sour, but while that was so they might not prevent other action going on in the milk which was deleterious to the infant consuming the milk. His experience was that in hot weather over 70 per cent. of the samples had preservatives, while in winter they found that practically none had them. He intended to carry his investigations further and hoped to get more information which would enable him to decide whether preservatives were only used in milk in hot weather. His view was that in the present state of things infants and invalids suffered and that if the use of preservatives went on unchecked healthy adults would also suffer. By Dr. TUNNICUFFE : In his district tinned milks were largely used in some places, but not by the class of people’among whom the infantile mortality was greatest. Mr. OTTO HEHNER (public analyst for several districts of England) next gave evidence. He had devoted special attention, he said, to butter and had found that at least 90 per cent. of the samples he had examined contained borax preservatives. Nearly all the butter in the rural districts of the south of England was coloured, but in the Midlands he had sometimes found uncoloured butter. A few years ago annatto was the colour used, but now the practice was to use aniline dyes, though not in quantities to be injurious to health. He frequently found colouring matter in milk, and while he did not like the practice he did not regard it as a very urgent matter. The Committee then adjourned. crease
’
diarrhoea
MONDAY, JAN. 22ND. The Committee held another meeting to-day when Sir HERBERT MAXWELL again presided. Mr. H. DROOP RICHMOND, resident analyst’to the Aylesbury Dairy Company, London, was the first witness examined, and in answer to Professor THORPE he said that although the Aylesbury Dairy Company did not employ preservatives in milk or cream or in any butter made by them he had given considerable attention to the subject and he had prepared for the Committee a table showing the results of analyses with reference to boric acid and salicylic acid. In his experience he found that the preservatives most favoured were a mixture of borax and boric acid and formalin. When the latter was added to milk it appeared to toughen the proteids, probably the casein chiefly. That was shown by the fact that when the fat was heated with hydrochloric acid the casein took very much longer to be dissolved upon boiling than if no formalin had been added. He should say that first of all a combination had taken place and there was some ground for assuming that the casein was in a more insoluble form and probably a form more difficult of digestion. He should not like, however, In cream to say that this conclusion was entirely justified. there was sometimes used a solution of lime and cane sugar which acted as a preservative, retarding the time when the evidence of curdling and souring was shown to the consumer. This solution also made the cream look thicker. At one time the Aylesbury Dairy Company added 0’2 per cent. of boric acid to cream, but they no longer did so. They found that the presence of the preservative was objected to by a considerable section of the public, and after experimenting they discovered that they could supply cream in a fresh state without it. At one time they used boric acid for butter. There were two ways which they had of using it; one was to wash the butter with a solution directly after churning it and the other was to mix the acid with the butter and work it in. Now, however, they no longer used preservatives in the butter which they made. The butters from France
281 which they imported were habitually preserved, and having regard to the methods of production and collection in that country he was afraid that unless some preservative were added there might be trouble He did not think, however, that the in regard to keeping. acid compounds was absolutely necessary, even use of boric in these butters, for a small percentage of salt could be added with equally good results. Up to last year he found that Australian butters were invariably preserved, but last year he met one or two samples which were free from preservatives. These samples when they reached the laboratory were in as good condition as the others, and therefore he should infer that there was no need for preservatives in Australian butters. Boric acid and salicylic acid were preservatives which could be estimated with ease and accuracy, but in the case of formaldehyde it could not at the present moment be estimated
quantitatively. By Dr. BULSTRODE:His opinion
much
less quantity might a certain quantity of copper a serious mischief to another person. He should prohibit the use 4f copper in peas simply because one never knew how it might affect people. A mere declaration that the peas were artificially coloured would not, in his opinion, meet the case nor would a declaration that they were coloured with copper, because the consumer might not be aware that copper was poisonous. If the declaration were to the effect that the peas were coloured with a poisonous matter then it might have some effect. By Dr. TUNNICLIFFE: He considered it to be the duty of people who employed colouring matters to prove that they were not injurious and if they failed to do so to give up the practice. Mr. JOHN MITCHELL HARRIS, managing director of C. and T. Harris and Company, bacon curers, Calne, Wiltshire, and deputy chairman of the Bacon Curers’ Association, gave evidence as to the use of borax in the bacon industry. He stated that his own firm employed nothing beyond salt and saltpetre and found no need for borax, even in connexion with their export trade. The Committee adjourned, to meet again at the end of a fortnight.
impunity cause
was that if milk would keep sweet for 18 hours that was sufficient for their trade, and he should consider that a fair limit for all classes of trade. He did not see why milk At a temperature of 70° F. should be kept longer than 18 hours. milk would keep for 34 hours before it turned sour, at a temperature of 80° for 22 hours, and at a temperature of 90° for 15 hours. In the hottest weather of last year the maximum temperature of milk as it arrived at their dairy at Bayswater was 770 F. and of milk after it had gone on a round and been brought back to the dairy 830 F. He thought that he should be right in assuming that the average temperature would not have been higher than 80° F. In these circumstances they found that t hey could supply fresh milk and allow customers three or four hours at least for its consumption. By the CHAIRMAN: Instead of limiting the amount of preservative used he should rather advocate prohibition. The preservatives came Sucessful applicants for Vacancies, Secretaries of Public Institutiona, into the hands of dairymen under fancy names and unless they had and others Possessing information 8uitable for this column, are did know of not the quantity the preservative special information they invited to forward it to THE LANCET Office, directed to the Subwere or its and not so but same the article nature, using they only Editor, not later than 9 o’clock on the Thur8day morning of each might be dosed several times by different people. The only colouring matter used by the company was annatto. week, for publication in the next number. Mr. HATTERSLEY, managing director of the Aylesbury Dairy Comin to that of the CHAIRMAN, the greater part their pany, said, reply milk-supply came from Berkshire and Wiltshire, though some came from a county so remote from London as Cheshire. All the milk came BAILEY, BERNARD, E. G., M.R.O.S., L.R.C.P., has been appointed Second House Physician for the City of London Hospital for free from preservatives. The opinion of the company was that preDiseases of the Chest, Victoria Park, E. servatives were not necessary. During 1899 they had well over 5,000,000 deliveries of milk and only 78 letters of complaint about sourness, which showed, he thought, that the milk gave satisfaction to their BLAIR, A. B., M.B., C.M. Edin., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Banwell (first) Sanitary District of the Axbridge Union, vice customers. He considered that they were fairly well served by the D. Lawson, resigned. railway companies. Occasionally it happened that the milk was sent to London in a fish truck or in a waggon or van which had E. J., L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.O.S., has been appointed Medical contained fish and in consequence the flavour of the milk was affected. DECK, Officer for the No. 2 Sanitary District by the Hastings Board of In the contracts they made with the farmers they had strict provisions Guardians. as to eooling the milk, for milk could not be brought to London from a distance in proper condition unless it had been carefully cooled. The FORREST. J. S.. L R.C.P. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has been appointed demand for Pasteurised milk was small in London, though there was Medical Officer and Public Vaccinator by the Ainwick Rural District a considerable trade in sterilised milk. The company separated the cream Council. at their dairy at Bayswater with the exception of one small lot which they obtained from a farm close to London, and they used no preserva- FRASER, S., M.B., C.M. Edin., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Edmonton Sanitary District of the Edmonton Union, vice In 1899 they had six letters of complaint about tives for the cream. J. Hodges. cream, which averaged about 0’05 per 1000 quarts of cream delivered. All the butter they made themselves was free from preservatives. With HEATON. GEORGE, M.B., B.Ch. Oxon., F.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond., regard to the colourin g of milk, they had tried several times to do without of 33, Temple-row, Birmingham, has been appointed a Medical it, but customers objected and they had had to resume colouring. He Referee under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1897, and to act regretted this much because he should‘greatly prefer to have the milk for County Court Circuit No. 21. sold uncoloured. By Dr. BULSTRODE: The company had kept butter in their own HEDLEY, W. F., M.B. Edin., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has dairies for a fortnight without ice and he had no doubt if the methods been appointed Medical Officer for the Hallaton Sanitary District of the French butter-making industry were altered the French butter of the Uppingham vice H. A. Cruttwell, resigned. could be imported into this country free from preservatives. ALEXANDER C-., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond., has been appointed By Professor THORPE: Their milk-supply in a year amounted to HIGGINS, House Surgeon to the West Kent General Hospital, Maidstone, 1,500,000 gallons and it came from about 50 farms whose average vice F. T. Travers, resigned. distance from London was from 70 to 80 miles. This supply was distributed among considerably over 100,COO persons. HOPE, A. A.. M.B., B.S. Durh., has been appointed Medical Officer for Dr. DUPRÉ of the Home Office was next examined, and in answer to the Fifth 8anitary District of the Daventry Union, vice F. W. the CHAIRMAN he said he objected to preservatives in milk because in Fowke, resigned. his opinion they did away with the guarantee of cleanliness. He took this objection quite apart from the question of harmfulness, about JONES, CHARLES STURGES, M.R.C.S. Eng., L.S.A., has been re-appointed Medical Officer of Health for Chichester. which, no doubt, there was great difference of opinion. Further, he thought it objectionable that a chemical substance should be mixed Laszor2, J., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edin., L.F.P.S, Glasg., has been indiscriminately with food unknown to the consumer. Few people appointed Medical Officer to the Poplar Workhouse, London. visited and inspected dairies, but every person knew when milk was sour, and this constituted a great protection; he objected to preLlVEBSiB&E, WM., M.B. Lond., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., has been appointed servatives because they took away this protection. Having regard to a Civil Medical Officer, and has proceeded to the seat of war, .South the tact that milk was the only food of infants and invalids it was Africa. most important that it should be really good, and therefore he was Low, R. B., M. D. Edin., D.P.H. Camb., has been appointed an Assistant more concerned about it than about the other articles in which they Medical Officer to the Local Government Board. found preservatives. The CHAIRMAN: Are you aware that preservatives are largely used MCCALL, ANTHONY, M.D. Glasg., has been appointed Surgeon to the Throat and Ear Department of the Boscombe in fish ? Hospital, Bournemouh. Dr. DUPRÉ: Yes, from hearsay ; I have never got fish to analyse. The CHAIRMAN: Would you think it important that it should be MACKIE, G., M.B., C.M. Aberd., has been appointed Assistant Medical Officer for the Infirmary and Workhouse of the Parish of St. Georgeknown ? in-the-East, London, vice U. K. Tebay, resigned. Dr. DupRE: Yes. I would have the same objection in the case of fish as I have in the case of milk. Fresh fish is a guarantee that it has MANBY, E. P., M.D. Camb., M.R.C.S., D.P.H., has been appointed an been rectntly caught. Officer on the staff of Medical Inspectors by the Local Government Board. The CHAIRMAN: Are you aware that fish taken in the North Sea are put in formalin and kept for many days and even weeks before being; NEVINS, J. E., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical brought to the market ? Officer for the Workhouse, Liverpool. Dr. DUPRÉ: I did not know that. H. F., M.D. Lond., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. Cambridge, has been PARSONS, The CHAIRMAN : If that were proved to be the case would you think appointed Assistant Medical Officer and Medical Inspector for it a desirable thing ? General Sanitary Purposes to the Local Government Board. Dr. DupRE: I should think it in the highest degree undesirable. PERCIVAL, A. S., M.B. Camb., has been appointed Honorary Surgeon to The CHAIRMAN: Have you never experienced a hard sole ? Eye Infirmary. Dr. DUPRÉ: Yes; but I never attributed it to any keeping of thatt POWER, W. H., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer to the kind. Local Government Board, vice the late Sir R. Thorne. Further examined by the CHAIRMAN, Dr. DUPRÉ said that in hi,s opinion no colouring matter which was considered poisonous should be REED, W. H., M.R.C.S., has been re-appointed Medieal Officer of employed in any quantity. He should certainly not allow copper to b( Health by the Westbury and Whorwellsdown Rural District used tor the colouring of peas, for while one person might take witta Council.
Appointments.
Union,
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the Newcastle