88 THE ANALYST. ANALYSTS’ REPORTS. AT the Glamorganuhire Quarter Sessions, DP. W. Morgan, public analyst, reported that during the past quarter he had received sixty-one samples, among which there were-butter one, butterine one, lard two, white pepper one, black pepper three. The butterino was free from deleterious ingredients, and appeared to be perfectly wholesome, and there cannot be any objection to its sale under its proper name. The sample of white pepper was genuine ; also two of the black peppers were genuine but of very inferior quality, the other sample containing G per cent. in excess of siliceous and earthy matter. At the nevon Quarter Sessions, on Tuesday, DF. Wynter Blyth, oounty analyst, reported that during the quarter he had examined samples of coffee, chioory, flow, sugar, quinine, and arrowroot : seven in all had been submitted for analysis ; none of thc seven were adulterated.He wrote saying he thought it better that in tho future he ahould be paid a balary instead of tikmg his ~~emuneration in fees, as the number of samples for analysis would be thereby much increased. During the past quarter neither a sufficient quantity, number, nor variety of samples had been analysed to make any impression on adulteration, nor from such a small number as seven could any useful deduction be drawn as to the prevalence or absence of offences against the Act. The Cornwall county analyst (Mi. J. J. Beringer) has reported that during the last quarter he received twclve aamples fur analysis under tho Sale of Food The samples of butter and lard were all genuine.THE ANALYST.89 and Drugs Act. The results of aU the analyses were satisfactory, and calledfor no remark. The samples submitted were two of lard, two of,bread, one mustard, one whisky, one beer, one gin, one sweets, one COCOB, one tea, and one butter.--At the Somerset Quarter Sessions, held at Wells, on Tuesday, the county analyst (Dr. Alford) reported that during the quarter he had analysed 203 samples, and found thirteen to be adulterated, among the adulterated articles being two of coffee and three of mustard, but the adulterations in these were not prejudicial to health. THE SALE OF FOOD ACT.-The County Finance and General Purptxes Committee on Tuesday reported to the Court of General Sessions for Kent, that during the past quarter 126 samples of food, &c., had been analysed, 32 being oertified as adulterated. The expense had been $87 2s.6d., and of twentr persons proceeded against, eighteen were convicted, and fines imposed averaging 6d. to $3, and amounting in the aggregate to $18 2s. The Committee again expressed their regret at the great want of assistance which they experienced from time to time from the various petty sessional authorities in the difficult and disagreeable duty of putting the Adulteration Act into force. During last quarter a case was taken before justices on thc certificate of the county analyst, in which it was stated that an article sold as butter was composed entirely of foreign fat, and as a penalty of 40s. only was imposed the Committee held it was imposBible to suppose that any good result would accrue t o the unfortunate customers of such unscrupulous tradesmen.ADULTERATION OF MusTAm.-At Gloucestershire Quarter Sessions, the Chairman (MP. J. E. Dorington) said the county analyst had reported that thirty-two articles had been sent to him for examination, and that four had been found to be adulterated. Three of these were adulterations of mustard. The Polioe Committee had discussed the question, md they came to the conclusion that, although it was very proper that adulteration of mustard should be prevented, yet as up to a certain extent so-called adulteration was really a necessity of its use, and as it was actiially mixed by the wholesale dealers and supplied with an announcement that it was so adulterated to the petty fradesman who were prosecuted for not informing their cu&omers, the Committee rather proposed to direct the Chief Constable only to prosecute in cases where the report of the analyst showed that the mustard was adulterated with flour in excess of the quantity necessary.Sometimes these prosecutions had the appear- ance of being rather persecutions than proper prosecutions for the protection of the public. The public ought to be protected against adulterations injurious to them. Mr. C. Sumner said he did not think it ought to go forth that adulteration was to be excused if the adulteration werenot injurious. Re under- stood the Uhairman to say that the adulteration might be permitted where it was not injurious t o the purchaser. If a person applied for a pint of milk, and got a quarter of a pint of milk and three-quarters of a pint of water, it might not be injurious to his health, but it certainly was to his pocket. It seemed to him that the proposition laid down by the Chairrnan waa too wide. The Chairman remarked that he did not mean simply injurious to health, but injurious in the sense that he mas buying that which he did not expect to buy, He imagined people in buying mustard expected to buy it in a condition in which they could use it ; hs was told it could not be used in ib raw state, and that it required a certain admixture of other material with it. They could therefore give the police disoretiomry power not to prosecute in those cases. The Lord Lieutenant (Earl of h c i e ) said he should like to inquire whether '( pure mustard ' * was not a trade fiction-whether we were not unable to eat pure mustard, The motion auggested by the Chairman was adopted. It might bc injurious to the health or to the pocket of the purchaser.