MEASURING OF CHEMICALS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 18

MEASURING OF CHEMICALS

“Don’t Use Food Utensils”

Concern over advice t» gardeners given in a recent article in "The Press" has been expressed by the District Medical Officer of Health (Dr. L. F. Jepson). The article, headed "Useful weights and measures for spraying," suggested that teaspoons. tablespoons. cups, and babies' bottles could be used for measuring out garden department is most anxious that these useful but potentially poisonous chemicals should be handled correctly, without creating any risk whatever.” said Dr. Jepson. "For this reason, any bottle or measure used for diluting or mixing these preparations must on no account be used for any other purpose. It is particularly important that no utensil used in the preparation or consumption d food should become contaminated with such chemicals.

"The correct way to ensure that this does not happen is to use some distinctive utensil as a measure tor spray materials. Utensils similar to those in the kitchen should definitely not be used. Suitable plastic and glass measures are quite readily obtainable. "At all times, sprays and other potentially dangerous household or garden chemicals must be kept out of the reach of children.”

Mr S. Challenger, author rf the article referred to by Dr. Jepson said that he fully agreed with Dr. J epson that articles used for the measuring of chemicals should not b« used in the preparation of food. As such articles were common in a household and thus often commandeered for

work such as he mentioned, he thought advice on the use of them was Justified. Mr Challenger said that once used for the measuring of chemicals the articles should obviously be used for tltat purpose only.