Of the total number of dairies examined, 1,439 were situated in Massachusetts and 332 in neighboring States. The extra-state dairies were visited because of the fact that their product is marketed in this Commonwealth, and, if found to be other than the fresh, clean product of healthy cows, is, under the standards fixed in accordance with the provisions of the national law relative to food and drugs, to be deemed to be adulterated, and hence may not enter into interstate commerce. details will be found in the Supplement. The AUTHORITY OF INSPECTORS OF THE BOARD TO TAKE SAMPLES OF MILK. Section 5 of chapter 263 of the Acts of 1882 reads: "The state board of health... shall take cognizance of the interests of the public health relating to the sale of drugs and food and the adulteration of the same. . . . and . . and... may appoint inspectors. . . . ... Section 4 of chapter 352 of the Acts of 1885: ". . . said inspectors [that is, of cities and towns] . . . may enter all places where milk is stored or kept for sale and all carriages used for the conveyance of milk, and said inspectors or their assistants may take samples for analysis from all such places or carriages." Section 5 of the same chapter provides that "inspectors appointed under the provisions of chapter two hundred and sixty-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-two" (that is, inspectors of the State Board of Health) "shall have the power and authority conferred upon a city or town inspector by the preceding section." In the revision of the milk laws in 1902, this statute, empowering inspectors of the State Board of Health to take samples of milk, was omitted, and it might well occur that an inspector of the State Board of Health might be unable to show any authority for taking samples of milk or for prosecution of any person obstructing him in an effort to take such samples of milk. It would, therefore, seem advisable that legislation be asked safeguarding the authority of the milk inspectors to take specimens of milk wherever it seems advisable. PROPRIETARY MEDICINES. During the year 17 proprietary preparations containing alcohol, and with no statement or with incorrect statement as to the amount, were advertised as unsalable at retail, under the provisions of chapter 386 of the Acts of 1906, namely: White Pine Expectorant with Tar. Dr. Wilson's Wine of Cod Liver Oil, with Malt, Wild Cherry and Hypo phosphites. Rocko-Ryo: Rock and Rye Compound. Horehound, Rock and Rye. Chionia.1 Stearns's Wine' (Vinum Olei Morrhuae, Stearns): Stearns's Wine of Cod Liver Oil with Peptonate of Iron. Royal Brand Cordial. Joyce's Brand Superior Malt. Dr. Swett's Root Beer Extract.1 Indian Root Beer Extract. Bryant's Root Beer.1 (A root beer extract.) A. & P. Root Beer. The following proprietary preparation containing acetanilid, with no statement as to its presence or amount, was also advertised as unsalable at retail: Bok's Cold Tablets. MAPLE SUGAR, MAPLE SYRUP, ETC. Paragraph 8 of section 8 of chapter 75 of the Revised Laws provides that cane sugar may be used as a preservative in food preparations without its presence being indicated upon the label as being an adulteration. As a result, the courts have ruled that receptacles containing compounds of maple sugar, honey, cocoa, etc., with cane sugar (which cane sugar is manifestly present in an effort to cheapen the product), need not bear upon the labels a statement of the presence in such compounds of cane sugar, or its percentage. Inasmuch as this practice is manifestly an effort to evade the spirit of the law concerning the adulteration of food products, the Board recommends that legislation be enacted requiring that the proportion of cane. sugar in such compounds be indicated upon the labels thereof, in accordance with section 19 of chapter 75 of the Revised Laws. 1 Prohibition of sale later removed. ROUTINE WORK OF THE BOARD. Statistical Table for the Year ended Nov. 30, 1909. Whole number of samples of food and drugs examined, Whole number of samples of milk examined since beginning of Number of prosecutions against offenders during the year, Number of convictions during the year, 6,310 3,584 189,593 . 104,581 296 267 Number of packages of antitoxin of 1,500 units each issued to cities and towns, 90,131 Number of tubes of vaccine issued to cities and towns, 47,961 in cities and towns, Number of bacterial cultures made for the diagnosis of diphtheria Number of examinations made for diagnosis of tuberculosis, Number of examinations of blood made for diagnosis of malarial infection, 4,123 2,013 43 Number of examinations of blood made for the diagnosis of typhoid fever, Number of notices of cases of infectious diseases received and recorded under the provisions of chapter 75, section 52, Revised Laws, Force employed in general work of Board at central office, State Force employed at laboratory (Bussey Institution): Pathologist, Assistants, . Total,. 16 Under the Provisions of Sections 112 to 118 of Chapter 75, Revised Laws. Applications for advice from cities, towns and others: Relating to water supply, Relating to ice supply, Relating to sewerage and drainage, Relating to pollution of streams, Miscellaneous, Total,. 7 88 6 22 9 3 128 and microscopically at the laboratory, Room 502, State House, Number of samples of water, sewage, ice, etc., examined chemically and bacterially at Lawrence Experiment Station,. Number of samples of water, ice and sewage examined chemically 6,709 2,422 Number of samples of water, sewage and ice examined bacterially, Total number of samples examined, . 6,661 33 235 39 16,099 Force employed at central office: Chief engineer, . Assistant engineers, Stenographers and clerks, Messenger, Force employed at laboratory, Room 502, State House: Assistant chemists, Biologist, Stenographer, Force employed at Lawrence Experiment Station: Assistant chemists, Bacteriologists, . Other assistants and laborers, Total ordinary force,. The number of applications for advice under the provisions of the acts relating to water supply and sewerage, received since July, 1886, when these acts first went into operation, is as follows: The appropriations for the year ended Nov. 30, 1909, as recommended by the Board in the annual estimates made under the provisions of chapter 6, section 26, of the Revised Laws, were as follows: For the general expenses of the Board, $27,500 00 For the inspection of food and drugs, 14,500 00 For the production and distribution of antitoxin and vaccine, 20,000 00 For the examination of sewer outlets and Neponset River, 12,000 00 The expenditures under the different appropriations for the year ended Nov. 30, 1909, were as follows: |