MILK & WATER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2247, 5 September 1914, Page 9

MILK & WATER

DOMINION ANALYST'S CRITICISMS

STRICTER CONTROL URCED.. The quality of the local milk-supply is.severely criticised, by the Dominion Analyst (Mr. J. S. Maclaiirin, D.Kc., F.C.S.), in Ms annual report. "Tho j ear," ho states, "has seen no improvomeiit in the local milk-supply. Of tile 333 milk samples received, 244 v-'ero taken wider the Sale of Foods and 'Drugs Act from Wellington City and suburbs. ■ Of these, forty-eight l'ai'od'to comply with the regulations, all containing added water; two were, also deficient in fat; and another contained boric-acid preservative. The highest percentage of added water found was 23.9, and tho average for the adulterated samples was 8.03 per cent. '"I'akihg the annual consumption of ailk in Wellington Oity and suburbs as 2,000,DU0 gallons (5500 gallons per day;, and assuming the samples received to be fairly representative of the whole of the inilk-aupply, then 31,600 gallons Of 'water ; of Uncertain• quality 'were sold as ntilk during tho year. At 4d. per quart this represents £2106. Deducting £81 recovered in fines and costs in the twenty-two cases in which proceedings were taken against tho sellers, there remains a clear profit of over -£2000 for the vendors of watered milk.

"The number of samples received from Wauganui, Palmerston North, and other towns in the' Wellington District was too small'for ,any reliable conclusions to be re the quality : of milk ; sold generally throughout the provinoo. „ . • "Although, compared with last year, the milk samples taken under the Sale of Foods~*and Drugs Act show an increase of forty, the total number. 298, does not represent six per week for. thlei whole q/ tiho Wel/ington Province. At least one thousand samples per year • should ba taken, and all offenders prosecuted if the public is to' be protected and adulteration effectively checked." 1

A Cure for "Fishy" Water. In tlie same 'report, the Dominion Analyst refers to the fishy flavoui ot Wellington's water in tile autumn as follow!' "The Wellington Oity water-supply has been regularly tested during the year. Numerous experiments were conducted with a view to removing an objectionable fishy taste and smell that dbveloped in the supply in tlie autumn, ft was b'how'n' to be due to a greencoloured organism, Protozoa synura, that exudes an offensive oil from its body. The addition of permanganate of potasli to destroy the organism, followed by lime -and a small amount of alum to precipitate the * mang meso, was very effective; .but rather costly for 1 use on an- extensive ecale. Copper-sulphate, which has been successfully , used in other countries, was then tried, and waa finally recommended; but very- heavy ruin and overflowing of tlie -eservoirs improved the water to such an extent thati the treatment with chomicals was unnecessary. Ju the event- of the trouble showing signs of recurring- next season the water should be treated -with copper-sulphate without delay."