PRESERVATIVES IN MILK 531 



per cent of all milk sold contains preservatives of some kind 

 and in some degree.^ It varies with the season, being greater, 

 of course, in summer, and as a rule greater on Sundays than week 

 days. Fifty per cent, of the London dairj-men use preservatives. 

 In Birmingham from 5 to 20 per cent, of the milk contains 

 preservative, in South Wales the returns are about the same.- In 

 a large city in Yorkshire quite 50 per cent, of the milk sold 

 contains preservative, and somewhat generally throughout the 

 country such substances are added, the practice being common or 

 otherwise, according to the strictness of the supervision and 

 action of the Local Authority.^ 



Milk is, however, consigned to London by certain dealers under 

 contract prohibiting the addition of preservatives. It is carefully 

 strained and cooled, and transmitted 120 miles without difficulty, 

 and without souring. In Denmark the use of all preservatives 

 in milk is strictly prohibited, and the prohibition is stringently 

 enforced.* 



The chief preserv^atives used in milk are boracic acid, formalin, 

 carbonate of soda, and salicylic acid. The commonest is that named 

 first. It has been found in milk in Great Britain, in quantities 

 varj'ing from 5 to 200 grains per gallon, and on occasion as much 

 as 80 grains to the pint. Probably these large amounts have 

 occurred owing to cumulative dosage. For it has been shown 

 that milk is constantly subjected to successive treatments of 

 preservative before it reaches the consumer. The farmer some- 

 times applies it, the wholesale purveyor or contractor does the 

 same ; and so does the retail dealer. The domestic use of pre- 

 servatives is also said to be increasing, and hence milk may 

 receive (bur doses of preservative before being consumed.'' 



There are two chief objections to the addition of preservatives 

 to milk. The first is the ill effect the preservative may have on 

 the consumers of the milk. Particularly will this be the case of 

 invalids, and young children who consume milk largely, and 

 who are most susceptible. Substances capable of destroying 

 bacteria in milk are not likely to be indifferent in their action 

 upon the living tissues, especially the cells supplying the digestive 



^ Report of Departmental Committee on Preservatives and Colouring Matters 

 in Food, 1901, pp. xii.-xvii. 



* Ibid., p. xvii. ^ Ji^id,, p. xvii. * Ibid., p. xx^'ii. 



^ Ibid., p. .xxvii. See also Lancet, 1899, ^'o^- "•> PP- 1427, 1577 (Foulerton), 

 and p. 1282 (Annett) ; Brit. Med. Jour., 1900, vol. ii., p. i ; Public Healthy 

 1899, pp. 554, 861. 



