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ASVIN was a project funded by the Research Support for Libraries Programme (RSLP). The principal aim was to develop better co‐operation between nine UK libraries in the veterinary and animal health field. The project examined a number of library related areas, such as journal archiving, collection development policies, development of a common Z39.50 catalogue interface, grey literature, electronic journals and consortia purchasing. This paper examines the latter issue, taking a brief look at the historical developments and exploring the reasons why libraries enter consortia. It then focuses on the effects upon collection development, models of consortia and describes the ASVIN experience.

DURING much of the Second World War, the affairs of the Library Association were conducted for the Council by an Emergency Committee. The record of its meeting on 10th June 1941, includes the following: “A resolution having been received suggesting that a committee be formed to consider post‐war reconstruction, it was resolved that by means of a notice in the LIBRARY ASSOCIATION RECORD, Branches and Sections should be invited to formulate suggestions for the consideration of the committee. A draft questionnaire for the purpose of an enquiry into the effects of the war on the public library service was approved”. In July, the Committee reported “further arrangements … for carrying out an exhaustive survey designed to give the necessary data for full and detailed consideration and ultimate recommendation as to the future of public libraries, their administration and their place in the social services”. The promised notice appeared as an editorial in September.

Milk, the universally perfect food, its compositional quality and bacteriological purity causing few qualms nowadays in this country and outbreaks of milk‐borne disease relatively rare, it may come as a surprise that there is another aspect of milk consumption causing discussion and not a little controversy in medical circles. There is an increasing awareness of milk allergy in infancy and in certain adult disorders, evidenced less by serological tests than by the relief afforded by milk‐free diets and the return of symptoms on the re‐institution of a milk diet. Skin tests also are not particularly reliable but the serological tests have at least demonstrated anti‐bodies to milk proteins in most artificially fed babies after the age of seven weeks (Gunther, M. et al, 1960).

This article explores the relationship, in the contemporary UK context, between employee retention and the provision by employers of occupational pension schemes. Several sources of literature are drawn on to develop cases for and against the proposition that pensions play a discernible role in reducing employee turnover. Original research carried out by the author is then presented which suggests that the retention effect is limited in terms of both its potency and its extent. A particular finding is the varying importance of pension schemes in terms of the retention of different staff groups.

January 15, 1973 Ironfoundry — Statutory duty — Breach — Noxious dust — Prolonged inhalation of noxious dust — Chronic lung illness — Employers' actual or constructive knowledge of health hazard — Test to apply when determining constructive knowledge — Whether employer should be aware of recent medical or scientific knowledge — Factories Act, 1961 (9 & 10 Eliz.II, c.34), ss.4(l), 63(1).

The law relating to foreign bodies in food and drink continues to grow in volume, if not in clarity. It is generally accepted that their presence may constitute an infringement of Section 2, Food and Drugs Act, 1955; that dust (or cement or paint or any other extraneous matter) adhering to the interior of a bottle means that the bottle is not clean within the meaning of regulation 27 (1), Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1959 or regulation 6 (2), Food Hygiene Regulations, 1960. This has been held to be so even if the dust (or other adherent substance) has been shown to be sterile. In Jones v. Bryn Dairy, Ltd., (1954), Q.B.D., a case under the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949 where the offence concerned dust adhering to the interior of a bottle of milk, Lord Goddard made the robust statement of the obvious—“clean means clean”—and rejected the argument that the bottle which contained the very small quantity of dust was clean because the dust itself was sterile. It had yet to be decided that similar considerations applied to a foreign body lying loose in the bottle; that such a bottle of milk was not in a state of thorough cleanliness before use. The decision of the Divisional Court in South Coast Dairies Ltd. v. Halstead (1963), (reported in December, 1963 issue of B.F.J.,) has now done this.

It is only fair to say that this work is backed by a larger basis of research than exists in most countries. For nearly twenty years, that is since the formation of the “Dehydration Committee” by the Department of Agriculture in 1923, experiments have been carried on to determine the best methods of dehydrating Canadian apples, and the experience gained is now being applied to the dehydration of vegetables. One point which has been emphasised consistently throughout the work of the Committee is that high quality and fine flavour are essential for fruit or vegetables to be processed. During the past winter the Canadian Government was informed that the British Government was interested in dehydrated vegetables to an amount of approximately 1,000 tons. While the Canadian industry was not equipped to handle on short notice such a large order, immediate steps were taken in the establishment of test plants and the speeding up of experimentation. At that time representatives from the United Kingdom pointed out that no commercial samples of dehydrated vegetables from any country had been considered entirely satisfactory from the point of view of nutrition. The Canadian tests indicate that dehydrated vegetables can be of fine flavour and retain from 50 to 75 per cent. of the original vitamin content. Five experimental dehydration plants have been operating for some months, processing potatoes, carrots, turnips and cabbages from the 1941 crop. These are being held as a reserve supply for the Canadian Army. On the basis of these results, Canada should be able to supply large quantities of high‐quality dehydrated vegetables. The actual methods of dehydration employed vary according to the product. The simplest is that applied to the drying of fruits. Many of these, such as dates, figs, raisins, are dried in the whole state; others, apricots for example, are halved and pitted, while apples should be peeled, cored and sliced. Cut fruits, such as apricots and apples, are treated with sulphur dioxide, which acts as a steriliser and prevents discolourisation. Such fruits must be cooked before using in order to drive off the sulphur, but other dried fruits can be used without soaking or cooking. The moisture is removed by natural drying in the sun or by artificial evaporation. Many of the dehydration processes lie in the realm of chemical technology, but a short sketch of the principles involved may be of interest. The dehydration process used in the case of vegetables involves careful cleaning and cutting into small pieces, shreds or flakes. These are then “blanched” in steam or boiling water and placed in the dryer. While the amount of moisture which should be left varies with the particular vegetable, it should never exceed 7 per cent., and best results indicate a moisture content of 3 to 5 per cent. Substantial progress has already been made in research into the pre‐treatment of the vegetables. Cabbages, for example, should be “blanched” in steam, potatoes in plain water, and carrots in salt water. Investigation is continuing, however, into the actual drying of the vegetables and particularly as to the proper stage of maturity at which dehydration should take place. So far, it appears that no vegetables which are woody or fibrous have produced satisfactory results. Soft fruits, such as raspberries or strawberries, are reduced to a pulp, after the preliminary cleaning and “blanching.” This pulp is forced out over a heated drum, and when drying is completed looks something like “coloured crepe paper.” This filmy layer is broken into small fragments for packing and storage. It is reported that the original flavour and colour of the fruit is well maintained. The handling of milk and eggs, which are very liquid in their original form, requires a different process. After testing and preliminary sterilisation, the liquid is sprayed into a drying chamber where hot air in constant motion reduces it to a powder which falls to the floor. Although dehydrated foods can be kept under conditions of ordinary storage, they do require special care in packing. Metal containers are unnecessary, but the cartons must be impervious to moisture, to changes in temperature and to the attacks of insects and rodents. Canadian experience also indicates that removal of the oxygen in the container and its replacement by an inert gas, such as hydrogen, prevents any recurrence of chemical change and retains flavour for a considerably longer period. The acceptance of any product in war‐time, even for civilian consumption is, of course, no proof of its continued acceptance under normal conditions. Shortages of supply and the exigencies of the situation necessitate strange substitutions. Sometimes these are found better than the original product, and in the post‐war period tend to replace it. But this only occurs when the new substance or material has intrinsic advantages and can compete on a basis of quality. Many of us can remember the reaction in Great Britain against Canadian bacon after the last war, resulting from war‐time shipments of a type and quality to which the British were not accustomed. Long years of effort were necessary to break down the prejudice against Canadian bacon which was built up at that time. In the present war Canadian bacon is being prepared to suit the British palate. Since dehydrated foods have not yet come into general war‐time use it is impossible to prophesy regarding post‐war markets, but there are a number of interesting sidelights on the situation. One of the industries hardest hit by the tin shortage has been the manufacture of dog food, which had been growing rapidly in the pre‐war years. These manufacturers have been the first to produce dehydrated products to be sold to the general public, truly a case of “trying it out on the dog.” While we do not attempt to draw any analogy between dog biscuits and food for human consumption, it will be interesting to watch the results of this experiment. Dogs are certainly not interested in eating things that are good for them regardless of flavour, and if our canine friends accept the new preparations it will at least indicate that a palatable product has been obtained. The palatability of food can only be determined in use. It is feared, for example, that dehydrated vegetables would tend to become monotonous in constant use. General consumer interest has, however, been aroused by the wide publicity which has been given the industry, and already commercial dehydrators in the United States are studying the possibilities of civilian markets. The future of this development would appear to depend upon the assurance of quality, as the convenience of such products is undeniable.

It is estimated that in this country alone no less than 2,000,000 tons of food annually is destroyed by reason of the depredations of rats and mice. Neither powers nor organisations existed at the outbreak of war. which were adequate for the purpose of preventing wastage, which, under war conditions, became intolerable. That there was on the Statute Book the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, cannot be denied, but no authority existed for the control of destructive insects and mites in foodstuffs. The powers and duties vested in local authorities under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act were of little avail and it was allowed to fall into disuse without alternative provision being made. The control of these several groups of pests has for some years past been dependent on the powers derived from the Defence Regulations and continued under the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Act. The profession of the rat catcher is an old and universal one. In 17th century Italy the “ professional ” was recognised by his long pole bearing a square flag on which were representations of cats and mice; the Chinese equivalent bore a sign depicting a cat in a bag. An accepted method of destruction quoted in The Book of Days is one attributed to the Irish, who believed that they could rhyme any beast to death, and in particular the rat. Another prevalent notion was that rats had a presentiment of coming evil and always deserted in time a ship about to be wrecked, or a house about to be flooded or burned. In 1854 it was seriously reported in a Scottish provincial newspaper that the night before a town mill was destroyed by fire the rats belonging to the establishment were met migrating in a body to a neighbouring field. A more scientific approach is now being made to the problem. In August, 1947, a meeting was held in London to discuss the world‐wide problem of losses as a result of damage by insects, fungi and rodents, and to consider the steps to be taken to reduce such losses. Embracing a general consideration of the problem of infestation control, the meeting, convened by Dr. L. E. Kirk, head of the Plant Industry Research Branch, Agriculture Division, F.A.O., covered many phases of the subject, ranging from the economics of the problem to the toxicity of new synthetic insecticides. Accepting the principle that efficient prevention and control of food infestation was essential to the conservation of the world's food supply, the meeting recommended that:—

Purpose – This study explores the contributions of African immigrant women, as transnational change-agents, to community development in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Greater Boston and Philadelphia areas.

Design/methodology/approach – This study draws on theories and concepts in migration and feminist studies, such as transnationalism and intersectionality, and uses snowball sampling to conduct in-depth, structured interviews with African immigrant entrepreneurs and civic leaders.

Findings – Although their intersectional status affected their personal and professional lives, these African women adopted a new Pan-Africanism, which enabled them to contribute to development in their homelands and especially to urban revitalization in the United States.

Originality/value of the paper – This research demonstrates African immigrant women's agency in their “home” and “host” societies conducted within the frameworks of transnationalism and intersectionality. It provides insights about African immigrants’ experiences that may be useful in immigration policy.