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Other Foods Sampled. —A total of 3,030 samples of other foods were taken, and 674, or 22-2 per cent., failed to comply with the required standard. Slightly over half of these samples were of milk shakes, ice cream, cream, and other milk products. Other foods sampled included sausages and mincemeat, other meat products, bread, nonalcoholic beverages, iodized salt, jam, essences, egg-pulp, alcoholic beverages, tea, and coffee. A small number of drugs was sampled, but this necessary work is seriously restricted by the inability of the analysts to undertake more work. Table 4 gives details of the samples taken, the number failing to comply, and the action taken. Unsound food was seized and destroyed on 129 occasions. The Use of lodized Salt. —As the use of iodized salt has been a commonplace in this country for many years, it is interesting to note that recently the Medical Research Council in Great Britain recommended that all domestic salt should be iodized. lodized salt was first introduced in New Zealand in 1924, and contained potassium iodide in the proportion of 1 part in 250,000. In 1939 the proportion of potassium iodide was increased to 1 part in 20,000. The use of iodized salt is not compulsory, but advocacy of its use is a prominent feature of the Department's health education campaign. A recent survey shows that in the great majority of homes only iodized salt is used. Egg-pulp. —In recent years there has been an increasing tendency to preserve eggs by pulping and freezing, whereas formerly it was a common practice for bakers to obtain eggs in the shell and preserve them. During the process of pulping, one inferior egg can contaminate a large quantity of pulp, and the material offers a very favourable medium for the growth of bacteria. Although the pulp is frozen, there is ample opportunity for the multiplication of bacteria both before it enters the cool store and when it is again thawed out before being used. Samples of egg-pulp invariably show high bacterial counts when tested, and it is not uncommon for the specific micro-organisms of food poisoning to be found. Reference has already been made to cases of food poisoning in an institution which were thought to be due to the use of egg-pulp. Even though thorough cooking can usually be relied on to destroy any bacteria present, the use of highly contaminated food, even for cooking purposes, cannot be commended. While egg-pulping on a large scale is commercially convenient, it must be deplored by the hygienist. A system whereby whole eggs could be packed in containers of suitable size and chilled or frozen would ensure food of far superior quality and save much waste. Bacteriological Sampling of Foods.—The bacteriological aspect of public health is seriously restricted by shortage of laboratories able and willing to undertake bacteriological investigations in connection with food, food-poisoning outbreaks, and infectious diseases. In recent years, public health bacteriology has made enormous advances, but much of the work now regarded as routine in other countries is not attempted in New Zealand. There is great need for a well-equipped central laboratory under a bacteriologist of high calibre where the more advanced investigations can be carried out. DANGEROUS DRUGS AND POISONS In view of the publicity given to New Zealand's high consumption of heroin, it will be of interest to compare our consumption of this and other dangerous drugs with the consumption in other English-speaking countries. The following figures are compiled from information published by the Permanent Central Opium Board, and show the consumption of drugs per million of population.

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