DANGEROUS SPRAY

Southland Times, Issue 20148, 7 April 1927, Page 10

DANGEROUS SPRAY

ARSENATE OF LEAD. AMERICANS IGNORE WARNING. London, February 11. “The publicity given last year should have induced American apple-growers to minimise the use of arsenic spraying, but they have not done so,” remarked Mr R. A. Robinson, who appeared in the Brentford Police Court on behalf of Middlesex County Council, to prosecute John Lee, an Isleworth greengrocer, who was summoned for selling apples containing arsenate of lead.

Mr Robinson said that the amount of arsenic in this case, .05 grain per lb, was greatly in excess of the quantity there should be, and there was also lead to the amount of .56 grain per lb. This made the fruit dangerous for human consumption, and he warned greengrocers and the public that it was necessary that all American apples should be washed and well wiped before being sold or eaten. The defendant was fined £l, with costs. Despite an active campaign by medical officers throughout the country last season, apples are again arriving from the United States contaminated with such quantities of arsenic as to constitute, in the opinion of medical men, a real danger to health. A Royal Commission on preservatives in food reported that more than a hundredth of a grain of arsenic was injurious, yet American apples are arriving in which as much as one-twentieth of a grain has been found. The varieties found to be affected have been mainly Newtons and Jonathans. Last year thousands of cases of poisoned apples were sent back to America. The Daily Mail states that although a most careful examination has been made of Empire apples not a single case of arsenic poisoning has been found. Before they are shipped to England all the Empire apples are examined by the Government experts and are guaranteed to be free from any contaminating substances. Further precautions are also taken when each consignment arrives.

A London medical officer said to a member of the Daily Mail staff: "Representations have been made by the United States authorities in London to the growers, and I am surrprised to find that affected apples are again arriving. It is largely due to carelessness, and drastic steps m'ust be taken to stamp out the menace. The arsenic contamination is due to the American growers spraying their orchards with arsenate of lead to combat the codlin moth pest.”