SANITARY SCIENCE AND HYGIENE SECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2600, 13 January 1904, Page 45

SANITARY SCIENCE AND HYGIENE SECTION.

"THE HYGIENIC ASPECT OF BORIC ACID."

The Sanitary Science and Hygienic Section met at 2.30. The president of the section, Dr Frank Tadswell, of the Department of Public Health. Sydney, has not been able to come to New Zealand, "and in his absence Dr J. M. Mason, chief health officer of New Zealand, presided, and read Dr Tidswell's paper, whicb had been forwarded. There was a large attendance, a great many ladies being included in the audience. Tho paper, which was entitled " The Hygienic Aspect of Boric Acid," outlined! very clearly the chemical changes which natural milk undergoes, and it was shown: that by th© addition of boric acid in certain, quantities the curdling and souring of the milk was delayed, whilst the putrefactive organs, cc those which were likely to eause> 111-hcalbh, were in no wise interfered with. He pointed out clearly that the reason why a trader in milk indulged in the use of borio acid was to prevent the obvious alteration which would take place in milk which was stale. *He had conducted a large number of ex2>eriments, and had come to the conclusion that the ordinary amount of borio acid required to prevent the obvious deterioration of milk was such that, if used 1 by children or in\ alids, must necessarily cause a great deal cf harm. He emphasised tho undosirabihty of allowing the us© of boric acid in any form whato-»or, and drew attention to tho fact that in America and 1 several other countries tho use of boric acid as a preservative ww prohibited by law. He urged that it was a matter for oonsideration of all Governments to bring about, if possible, such alteration in the law as would permit of the trader using borio acid in order to preserve foodstuffs being prosecuted. There could be no question that, so far as the- milk supplies of cities was concerned, the addition cf boric acid \\ as -.upernuous. In any case, only a minority of traders resorted to its use — only about 4- iper cent, of the samples taken having been found to be adulterated. 'lh«>i advocates of the use of boric acid had raised the question of the inconvenience that people on board ships would be subjected to if the use of boric acid was not allowed ; but he pointed out that there were several forms of preserved milk, c-ond-ensed milk, and frozen milk, which would adeqaately meet the wants of people on shipboard. Proceeding, Dr Ticlswell said he could not perceive any moral distinction between the trader who adulterated his milk with water and the one who adulterated it with borio acid. In both cases the adulteration resulted from commercial greediness, which attempted to secure a gain by defrauding tho customer ; in one- case by selling milk the natural food ■value of which has been reduced by tho addition of water, and in the other by selling milk th© staleness of which is disguised by borio acid. In another way, too, th» addition of boric acid to milk was morally defective as a principle. It was subversive of the disciplinary regulations designed tQ secure the cleanly handling of a valuable artiole of diet. Tho dairyman who could, with impunity overcome his dirtiness and neglect by throwing a handful or so of boric acid into his churn of milk was nob likely to conduct his business with that regard for the purity of his commodity which its uso as food imperatively demanded. It was pointed out that, although the presence of boric acid in milk had occupied the major portion of his attention, other articles of food were being adulterated with it, and: that its employment had a much wider scope. Jn conclusion, Dr Tidswell expressed the hop© that, whether^ his views were agreed with or not, the discourse would not be without interest, and he trusted that it mift'ht suggest some aspects of the trad© uso of boric acid meeting the consideration of sanitarians and hygienists. Tho paper \va^ attentively listened to and warmly applauded.