No. e. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 23 



(F.) "That the use of copper salts in the so-called greeoiiig of pre- 

 served foods be prohibited. 



((i.) "That means be provided eillier by the eslablisluiieut of a 

 separate Court of Keference or by the iniposiliou of more direct 

 obligation on (he Local Government Board, to exercise supei-vision 

 over the use of preservatives and colouring matters in foods, and to 

 l)repare schedules of such as may be considered inimical to the public 

 health." 



HERBERT MAXWELL, Chairman. 

 T. E. THORPE, 

 H. TIMBRELL BULSTRODE, 

 F. W. TUNNICLIFFE, 

 CHAS. J. HUDDART, Secretary. 



The high character of this commission makes the report of unusual 

 value and entitles their recommendations to most respectful consid 

 eration. 



The committee in effect excludes all chemical preservatives from 

 food, except salicylic acid and borax or boric acid. It confines the 

 use of borax or boric acid to cream and butter. When used in cream, 

 not more than 0.25 per cent, is permitted, expressed as boric acid, 

 and the amount to be stated on the label. When borax is used, in 

 butter, not more than 0.5 per cent, shall be used, expressed as boric 

 acid. When salicylic acid is used in any food, not more than one 

 grain, per pint, shall be allowed in liquid food, and not more than one 

 grain, per pound, in solid food, its presence to be declared. 



The testimony before the committee was overwhelmingly against 

 the use of any and all chemical preservatives in food. The Society of 

 Medical Officers of Health appointed two delegates to appear before 

 the Commission who were both opposed to the use of preservatives 

 and also presented the following resolutions from the Society: 



''The Society strongly disapproves of the practice of adding pre- 

 servative chemicals to milk and other foods. That if preservative 

 chemicals are added to any food a full disclosure as to their nature 

 and amounts should be made to the purchaser." 



The evidence of the physicians and surgeons is summed up in the 

 following statement by the Committee: "In so far, however, as ex- 

 pressions of opinion went, the profession was almost unanimous in 

 its condemnation of the present unrestricted use of preservatives. 



"The medical profession was clearly impressed with the importance 

 of at least intimating, b}- a system of labeling, the nature and, where 

 practicable, the amount of the preservative used. 



''In the opinion of Sir Lauder Brunton and other witnesses, it is a 

 serious matter that a medical man should prescribe a daily dose of 

 any drug to a patient who may, unknown to himself and the physi- 



