London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lambeth 1916
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1916
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TABLE Q. SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. Samples procured, together with the results of the analyses, during the year 1916 :—
| Samples. | Formal. | Informal. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number Analysed. | Number Adulterated. | Number Analysed. | Number Adulterated. | |
| Milk | 558 | 60 | – | – |
| Butter | 191 | 11 | 753 | 49 |
| Lard | 31 | – | – | – |
| Coffee | – | – | 16 | – |
| Margarine | 6 | – | – | – |
| Mustard | – | – | 23 | – |
| Pepper | – | – | 25 | – |
| Arrowroot | – | – | 13 | – |
| Vinegar † | – | – | 6 | – |
| Sago | – | – | 8 | – |
| Oatmeal | – | – | 9 | – |
| Ground Rice | – | – | 8 | – |
| Egg Powder | – | – | 7 | – |
| Cocoa | – | – | 10 | – |
| Dripping | 12 | – | – | – |
| Drugs* | 2 | 1 | 53 | 4 |
| Rice | – | – | 19 | 4 |
| Olive Oil | – | – | 8 | – |
| Tapioca | – | – | 9 | |
| Cheese | – | – | 3 | – |
| Ground Ginger | – | – | 7 | – |
| Bread | – | – | 3 | – |
| Tea | – | – | 8 | – |
| Chocolate Powder | – | – | 1 | – |
| Baking Powder | – | – | 17 | 4 |
| Cream § | – | – | 17 | 3 |
| Custard Powder | – | – | 10 | – |
| Self-Raising Flour | – | – | 8 | – |
| 800 | 72 | 1051 | 60 | |
* The drugs (55) were : —Eucalyptus Oil (6), Epsom Salts (11), Gregory's
Powder (5), Tartaric Acid (5), Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine (4), Boric
Ointment (2), Cream of Tartar (16), Dandelion Coffee (1), and Bicarbonate of
Soda (5). The adulterations being (a) formal (1) Epsom Salts containing 60
parts of lead per million and (6) informal (1) Cream of Tartar containing excess
of arsenic and sugar, (2) Epsom Salts containing excess of lead, and (3) Ammoniated
Tincture of Quinine deficient in Sulphate of Quinine.
§ The 3 adulterations were varying quantities of Boric Preservative.