BORIC ACID IN MILK

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8630, 10 July 1924, Page 5

BORIC ACID IN MILK

VENDOR FINED .£lO. An unusual case was heard beforrd Mr T. E. Mann sell, S.M.. at Blenheim last week, when a milk voider, George Wareham, pleaded guilty to selling milk adulterated with boric acid. Mr F, F Reid, for tile defendant, said that, through an .accident to the defendant's cart on March 24, a quantity of fresh milk had been spilt, and it was necessary to .supply some cf the customers'with the previous dav’s milk. Tt wa« deemed advisable to add a little preservative to this. The defendant did. not know that the-addition of boric acid to milk "was an offence. Boric acid was permitted under the law as a preservative for but hr, but was not in the, of preserva.tives allowed for milk. He submitted that it was not a deliberate breach cf the law, and was not to bo corn pa rod with deliberately adulterating milk with water. The- magistrate said the* gravamen of the charge against the’ defendant was contained in the analyst’s report on the milk. which stated that a child drinking a pint of t : e milk would have received the maximum medicinal di,s of boric acid. In view cf the fa?: that the milk: was dangerously adulterated, he must impose a heavy penalty, as a warning to milkmen when nerd summer came round. The defendant was fined £lO and costs.