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Dr. Stedman, who writes that he examin- ed the Volunteer Brand and finds that it contains all the nutritive properties that are contained in skimmed milk, and that there are no injurious preservatives added to it. It is not advisable to bring up a baby under a year old on skimmed milk only, because owing to the removal of the cream there is not a sufficient percentage of fatty matter left to satisfy the wants of the human infant, but there is nothing actually injurious to the infant in skimmed milk, and where poor persons cannot afford to buy whole inilk, skimmed milk is a much more suitable food for a baby than many of the patent infant foods that are so extensively used in these days, and it is still more suitable than a pap made of rice and water which is often employed for babies by the poorer classes in this Colony." What
labels, and if purchasers are supplied with tine bearing labels on which disparaging words are printed, they may repudiate the purchase. The result would be very serious to a legitimate trade. In conclusion I can only ask you to bear in mind the warning which I have uttered, following the war. ning uttered by eminent expert authorities in England, that the probable effect of the legislation will be to drive the poorer people in the Colony to the foferior food, such as rice water pap, for their children, as they could not possibly pay the high price for the better kind of article, and the last case of the child after the Council's legislation will be worse than the first.
Counsel then withdrew.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY-I de- sire to address a few remarks to the Council the inevitable result? Those who in reply to the speech made by Sir Henry cannot afford to buy this skimmed milk Berkeley. In the first place, I wish to cor- will be driven to the more unsuitable rice rect his statement that the minute of the pap, because the passing of this legislation Government Analyst as printed in the will not result in the poorer people using sessional paper is not identically the same better milk, but using other substitutes. as the one I read at our last meeting. It I submit that the whole question is a was then my humiliating duty to say that practical one, viz., whether you are satisfied the official members of the Council knew that the effect on the children of skimmed little about milk as a beverage, and in con. milk is so unsatisfactory that the Council sequence I felt constrained to read the eaunot take the view expressed by the four opinion given by an expert. I read a medical men of bigh standing in this minute by Mr. Franklin, and I have com- Colony. Moreover, I have bere a pamph-pared what I read with the minute as Jet-- regret I have only one copy-u printed in the sessional paper, and I find which are set forth the opinions of men that they are identical, the only difference entitled to be called eminent authorities, being that certain explanatory remarks of all of whom speak to the bighly nutritive mine are included in the report of the value of this skimmed milk as food, Sir, minute as read. Sir Henry said it was un- if this Bill must be passed as it stands, I necessary to place the words "should not suggest that the words unless supple- be used for feeding children under one year mented by some fatty food" follow "under of age" on the labels, because it coull not one year of age," because on the evidence be proved that condensed skimmed milk of Dr. Clark himself it is clear that even in was injurious to such children. the case of the hostile narrow minority the therefore like to call attention to the fact separated skimmed milk is a food which that the manufacturers in some cases of might be given to children if supplemented their own accord have labelled their tins of with some fatty matter. I do not say that skiurmed milk as unsuitable for infants. 1 is the shape the Bill should take, but I hold in my hand a copy of the Chemical submit that if the words complained of are News dated November 8th, 1907. In it on not eliminated altogether, the only alter page 225 appears an article entitled-Fur- native is the words I have asked to be|ther Aralyses of Condensed Milk," by F. T. added. In any case, I submit that the operation of the Bill should be postponed for a considerable time, say, six months, to enable dealers to complete their present contracts. Your Excellency, the article is sold by sample. Tins must have certain
I would
Lloyd. r.c.s., Consulting Chemist to the British Dairy Farmers' Association. He says that the makers of a brand of machine- skimmed milk made in Holland, to which be refers as Sample A88, "print on the label surrounding the tin- Unsuitable for
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and B respectively in Mr. Franklin's minute of the 1st ult. on page 5 of the sessional paper. I have obtained from the Registrar- General an English translation of these Chinese labels. That on the Volunteer Brand begins as follows:- The Soldier' brand milk is condensed pure milk of milch cows extracted by means of machinery." The Asst. Registrar-General appends the following note: The Chinese is not very clear, but the meaning apparently is that the cows are milked by machinery.'
made at the Conneil table this afternoon by the senior unofficial member (Dr. Ho Kai) He renders has just been handed to me? the label :-"This Soldier' brand milk is pure milk extracted by machinery from a yellow cow.”
the use of infants and invalids.'" Mr. Lloyd adds:-"Probably much of the ill- health among children, frequently attributed to the consumption of impure fresh milk, if investigated, would be found to be due to the use of condensed machine-skinned milk." No doubt, Sir Henry would regard Mr. Lloyd as one of the hostile narrow minority." But that minority (if indeed it is a minority, which I take leave to doubt) is certainly not a narrow one; for it appears from p. 387 of the Law and Chemistry of Food and Drugs, by Messrs. Robinson and Gibb (1895) tliat in 1992 a memorial signed HIS EXCELLENCY--May I interrupt by over 7,000 members of the medical pro- my hon. friend in order to inform the Com- fession was forwarded to the Right Hon.mittee that an independent translation H. H. Fowler, and that this memorial, after expressing the opinion that the matter "urgently calls for legislative action," con cluded with the following recommendation: "We think it very desirable that an en- actment should be obtained to the following effect: Condensed Milk from which any of the cream has been removed must be con- THE COLONIAL SECRETARY - The spicuously labelled Condensed Skim Milk' same label recites that "For culinary pur- in large and legible type, and ou labels per- poses it (ie., Volunteer Brand Machine taining to the article the word milk' must Skimmed Milk) is everywhere used in sub- not be used unless preceded by the word stitution for fresh milk, and it is used in 'skim' or 'skimmed in equally hold type." hospitals for infants; these facts testify to It may be contended that this will be suf- its great superiority.
For infants ficiently met by inserting on the label the mix fourteen parts of water with one of words "machine-skimmed milk" without condensed milk. Decrease the proportion any addition to the effect that such milk of water according to the age of the infant." should not be used for feeding children In the case of the Baby Brand milk the under one year of age. But this is clearly very name and the trade-mark -- a baby not the case, for in the first place the words drinking from a milk bottle-are calculated "machine skimmed," even if carefully to mislead. In Chinese the name of this translated into Chinese, do not convey any milk is translated "Fat baby brand milk," clear meaning to the Chinese vendor of the and the translation proceeds: "The milk poorer classes. Moreover, as Messrs. is made from the milk of young nud strong Robinson and Gibb say: A serious and cows, mixed with nothing but sugar of even dangerous fraud has been committed by the best quality.
It forms an the sale of condensed separated milk, with a excellent and nourishing food.
For notification, it is true, but one of distinctly cooking mix four or five parts of water with frandulent character, which is backed up one of milk." Who could learn from such by equally misleading directions for the use a label as that that "Baby Brand" milk of the preparation." They add From when diluted as recommended would contain the point of the infant consumer, fed, as so only 0.04 per cent. of fat, less even than many children of the poorest classes are, "Volunteer Brand"? Sir Henry Berkeley almost exclusively on condensed milk, the quoted an opinion given by Dr. Steflinan, offence is a serious one indeed." In China and printed on page 3 of the sessional paper. this fraud takes the following form. Look, I desire, therefore, to state that,
been
for instance, at the Chinese labels on the since the last meeting of the Council, tins of Volunteer Brand" and "Baby, the proposed legislation bas Brand" milk which have just been placed referred to the Medical Board, of which upon the table by Sir Henry Berkeley. Dr. Stedman is honorary These brands are those referred to as A and that I hold in my hand the reply of
secretary,
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