532 THE CONTROL OF THE MILK SUPPLY 



juices. In this way digestive ferments essential to the human 

 economy may be prejudicially affected. Again, on the other 

 hand, some preservatives lessen the digestibility of foods contain- 

 ing them. Formalin enters into combination with the proteid 

 constituents of the food, the compound formed being less digestible 

 than the original substance, thereby entailing a nutritive loss to 

 the consumer (Halliburton).^ A French Commission has reported 

 against the use of salicylates in milk on account of their injurious 

 effects. The second objection to preservatives in milk is that 

 they may be, and doubtless are, relied on to protect those engaged 

 in the trade against the immediate results of neglect of scrupulous 

 cleanliness. Under the influence of preservatives milk may be 

 exposed without sensible injury to conditions which otherwise 

 would render it unsatiable. It may remain sweet to taste 

 and smell, and yet have incorporated in it disease germs of 

 various kinds, the activity of which may only be suspended for a 

 time by the action of the preservative, but may be resumed 

 subsequently. 



Beside these considerable disadvantages, the gains are small. 

 These preservatives cannot be added in quantities sufficient to 

 kill the contained bacteria. They merely stifle them for the 

 time being. They prevent rapid multiplication of bacteria and 

 increasing acidity.^ They disguise the true condition of the milk 

 in which they exist. Their organised addition to milk places a 

 premium on uncleanly and improper dairying. For these reasons 

 and in the light of these facts, we feel strongly that the addition of 

 preservatives to milk should be prohibited. We find ourselves 

 in agreement with the conclusions of the Departmental Com- 

 mittee which was appointed by the Local Government Board 

 in 1899 and reported in 1901 : — 



I. That the use of formaldehyde, or formalin, or preparations 

 thereof in foods or drinks be absolutely prohibited, and that salicylic 

 acid be not used in greater proportion than one grain per pint in 



^ Report of Departmental Cofjtmittee on Preservatives and Colouring Matters 

 in Food, 190I5 PP- xxiv. and xxv. 



2 As a result of experiments it has been shown that milk without preservative 

 curdles on the third day ; with formalin added, i to 100,000 parts, milk curdles 

 on the third day, but with slightly less acidity ; with formalin added, i to 50,000 

 parts, milk curdles on the fourth day, i to 20,000 on the sixth day, i to 10,000 on 

 the eighth day, and i to 5000 on the ninth day. The usual quantity of formalin 

 added to milk in the United States of America is i to 10,000 parts. See Report 

 State Board of Health, Massachusetts, 1898, No. 34, p. 559. Tests for the 

 various milk preservatives are described in the same report. 



