AIDS CONSUMERS

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1945, Page 2

AIDS CONSUMERS

N.Z. RESEARCH Primarily to protect consumers in the food they eat and household appliances they use, more than 28,000 samples covering a very wide range of materials were tested last year at the Dominion Laboratory in Wellington and at its branches in Auckland, , Christchurch and Dunedin. In testing milk, special attention is given to milk supplied in schools, and, | during the war years, to military camps. More than 17,000 milk tests alone were made last year. Analysis of drinking water from existing and projected supplies is an all-the-year-round job. Where research shows the faintest indication of- pollution in any particular area, an alternative supply is secured or purification, is achieved by scientific methods. Here are just a few of the many foodstuffs analysed regularly:— Bak-ing-powder, bread, biscuits, butter, canned foods of various kinds, cheese, curry-powder, condensed milk, eggpulp, food preservative, honey, icecream, mince-meat,. oysters, pickles, sausage meat and tripe. Among liquid foods analysed are beer, apple-juice, cream, coffee, cider, whisky and brandy. In addition, samples ol enamelware and aluminium ware. are examined for impurities which might contaminate foods prepared in them. Consumers should remember that while this scientific research protects them so far as it is practicable, they themselves should take, reasonable precautions with the storing, of foods. Drugs and proprietary medicines are subject to examination at the Dominion Laboratory. , One discovery that helped to protect consumers against the sale of spurious goods was when scientists found a number of reputed rat poisons would be quite harmless to rats. - ... The quality and composition oi plant spray oils, lead arsenate, nicotine sulphate, basic copper chloride and so on are also tested tor the benefit of gardners and commercial growers. . . . . The causes and prevention ol metal corrosion form an important part or the Laboratory’s work. Recently, in one New Zealand centre a lot ol trouble was experienced with corrosion of brass taps. Scientists found that there was nothing <vrong with the brass and that in other areas the brass had not corroded Biu m this particular area the watei, although quite suitable for drinking, contains gases in solution which attack the zinc in th 6 brass. Once the cause was found, adequate remedial measures were taken. . Earlier in the war, in addition to routine extermination of paints and varnishes for our own and the American armed forces and for civilian use, several special investigations were made involving research and the application of new methods, these included the evaluation photographically of the infra-red reflecting pi op erties: of pigments and camouflage paints, exposure and ultra-violet light tests of green camouflage paints to evaulate fading, camouflage of water surfaces and black and coloured skin dressing for jungle fighting.