REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYST TO GOVERNMENT FOR
THE SIX MONTHS 1ST APRIL TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 1930.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE,
GUINDY.
(Called for by G.O. No. 142 P.H., dated 22nd January 1930, and G.O. Mis. No. 2516, P.H., dated 8th October 1930.)
I have the honour to report that during the period lst April to 30th September,
578 samples have been submitted to me for analysis in my capacity as Public
Analyst. Of these, 392 samples were samples taken under the Prevention of
Adulteration Act and 186 were samples of miscellaneous foods and drugs submit
-
ted by various Government hospitals and institutions.
Samples under the Prevention of Adulteration Act.— The distribution and
nature of the samples are shown in chart A. In the case of Madras City it should
be noted that sampling only commenced early in September, accordingly, this
report only covers the samples received during one month. Samples are now
being received from Madras City at the rate of about 100 per month.
CHART A.
Municipalities.
T o t a l S a m p l e s .
T o t a l a d u l t e r a t e d
Ghee.
Milk.
Coffee.
Tea.
Butter.
Gingelly
oil.
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
T o t a l .
A d u l t e r a t e d .
1. Madras City . . .
99
77
70
63
10
3
9
9
3
. . .
7
2
. . .
. . .
2. Calicut . . .
2
. . .
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
3. Coimbatore . . .
15
9
6
3
5
3
3
3
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
4. Karaikudi . . .
2
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
2
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
5. Kumbakonam. . .
13
6
10
4
. . .
3
2
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
6. Madura. . .
59
6
36
2
23
4
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
7. Ootacamund . . .
25
1
13 . . .
. . .
. . .
3
1
3
. . .
6 . . .
. . .
. . .
8. Rajahmundry . . .
30
11
30
11
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
9. Tellicherry . . .
8
3
2
1
4
2
. . .
. . . 2
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
10. Trichinopoly . . .
54
21
7 . . .
17
9
. . .
. . . 17
7
7
2
6
3
11. Vizagapatam . . .
85
38
27
11
53
27
1
. . .
2
. . .
. . .
. . .
2
. . .
Total . . . 392
172 202
95 112
48
21
15
29
7
20
4
8
3
Calicut, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam and Tellicherry also only commenced
sampling during the period under report.
In the case of Ootacamund the 25 samples examined were received in two
batches, one in May and the other in August. I am of opinion that spasmodic
action of this sort is very unlikely to bring about the improvement in the food
supply of the Presidency which one anticipates from the introduction of the Pre--
vention of Adulteration Act. That only one adulterated sample was received
from this municipality is, I suggest, as likely to be due to samples having been
taken hastily and without an effort to seek out dishonest vendors, as to food
vendors in this municipality being more honest than in other parts of the
Presidency.
In the case of the other municipalities samples have been received regularly
in small batches. Further the sealing and labelling of the samples has in all
cases been done with the care and attention to detail which is so essential in the
case of samples in connexion with which legal proceedings are contemplated.
It seems to me unfortunate that in the case of the municipality of Coimba--
tore no legal proceedings have been taken. As will be seen from the list of
adulterated samples the adulteration was in several cases of so gross a nature as
fully to justify a heavy fine.