Annual report of the Commissioner of Public Health to 30th June, 1932 / Queensland.

  • Queensland. Department of Public Health
Date:
1932
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Commissioner of Public Health to 30th June, 1932 / Queensland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/28
    The following table records details in regard to the 1,865 legal samples of milk. TABLE III. Place. Brisbane Bowen Bundaberg Cairns Coolangatta Dalby Gladstone Gympie Hughenden Ipswich Kilcoy Mac-kay . . Maryborough -’*** Pialba Proserpine Redcliffe Rockhampton Sandgate St.anthorpe . Toowoomba Townsville H. Warwick Wynnum and Manly Yeppoon Number of Samples. Passed the Standard. Genuine but below the Standard. Deficient in Fat. Adulterated with Water. Average Per¬ centage of Added Water. Sour and unfit for analysis. 1,134 900 120 69 45 11 23 18 # . 5 . . . • 10 9 , , • . 1 5 8 7 . . . . , . . . 1 eigh Heads 11 11 • • 4 1 7 6 i , , • . 3 12 10 <• • . 2 5 5 2 1 2 26 83 72 8 1 2 3 2 59 2 46 1 10 2 8 ' •'<f. ■ 9 8 i 16 6 5 i 8 . * 17 17 . f 28 23 5 41 30 10 i 2 59 50 3 4 2 11 5 5 . . , , , . 147 130 3 12 2 12 H9 87 1 21 8 12 2 14 14 , , * , . , . • « 48 42 3 2 1 2 8 5 1 1 1 1,865 1,500 140 145 76 10 4 - i A summary of these results shows that 4-1 per cent, of the samples were adulterated with water, 7-8 per cent, were deficient in fat, 7-5 per cent, were genuine but below the standard, while 80-4 per cent, passed the standard. 0-2 per cent, were unsuitable for exact '•'r4 analysis. The following table shows the milk position as compared with the four previous years, TABLE IV. Year. Number of Legal Samples. Percentage Deficient in Fat. Percentage Watered. -A / Average Patepit or Added 'VVAUr. > . « \ » * . . ' . • • * » * * » ' 4 1927-28 732 4-9 4-4 7 o\ 1928-29 715 8-8 11-9 11 u\ 1929-30 , . . 1,414 6-4 5-5 9 1930-31 , , , . 1,638 8-7 2-5 8 1931-32 ' • * 1,865 7-8 4-1 10 The position with regard to adulteration of milk with water is slightly worse than last year, although better than in any previous year. The - removal of some of the fat from the milk is, unfortunately, just as prevalent as ever, and when it is remembered that the valuable vita¬ mins A and D are contained in the fat such removal is very objectionable from the health standpoint. The average proportion of fat in all milk samples taken during the last thirty years has been very close to 4 per cent., varying from 3-9 per cent, to 4-4 per cent. There is, therefore, no excuse for about one sample in every thirteen falling below the legal minimum of 3-3 per cent, of fat. Thirty-two samples of cabbage and six samples of cauliflower contained lead arsenate. One cauliflower submitted contained thirteen grains of lead arsenate on the leaves and seven- tenths of a grain on the flower. The position with regard to the use of lead arsenate on cabbages and cauliflowers has much improved, but a few growers still persist in this dangerous practice. Price 10(3.] Of twenty-one samples of paint scrapings sub¬ mitted, fourteen contained more than 5 per cent, of soluble lead. Such paints are prohibited for use on any veranda railings, gate, ’or fence. Nine boxes of crayons were examined in regard to their suitability for use in schools. Lead chromate was present in quantity in the orange, yellow, and green coloured crayons. Lead- containing crayons are not suitable for use by children. Twenty marking inks used for branding food containers were examined for poisonous sub¬ stances, and two samples wTere found to contain lead compounds. The miscellaneous samples included currants (9), hair (4), nicoquick (7), paint (43), pea¬ nuts (16), sugar (11), and urine (193) in connection with suspected cases of lead poisoning. Yours faithfully, J. B. HENDERSON, Government Analyst. By Authority: Frederick Phillips, Government Printer, Brisbane.