London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
109
Milk.
Of the 744 samples of milk (all were formal samples) 8, or 1.1
per cent. were reported as adulterated. Two were reported to be
deficient in milk fat to the extent of 3 and 24 per cent, respectively,
and six to contain extraneous water, in three cases not exceeding
3 per cent., in two cases 4 per cent., and in the remaining case 9 per
cent.
In the 5 years 1933-37, and in 1938, the percentage of adulterated (formal) samples of milk was as under :—
| Year. | Samples taken. | Adulterated. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Percentage. | ||
| 1933 | 768 | 6 | 0.8 |
| 1934 | 750 | 5 | 0.7 |
| 1935 | 738 | 6 | 0.8 |
| 1936 | 736 | 7 | 0.95 |
| 1937 | 740 | 8 | 1.1 |
| Mean | 746 | 6.4 | 0.87 |
| 1938 | 744 | 8 | 1.1 |
During recent years there has been a change in the method of
delivery of milk into the borough. Road transport is used to a
large extent instead of, as heretofore, rail.
The average composition of the 736 samples of milk reported as genuine proved to be as under :—
| Total milk solids | 12.38 per cent. |
| Milk fat | 3.61 |
| Non-fatty solids | 8.77 |
The Analyst reports that the content of milk fat in these 736 samples ranged as follows :—
| 4 per cent. and over | 65 samples or | 8.8 per cent. | |
| Between 3.9 and 4.0 per cent. | 60 ,, ,, | 8.2 ,, | |
| ,, 3.8 „ 3.9 ,, | 67 „ „ | 91 ,, | |
| ,,3.7 „ 3.8 ,, | 100 „ „ | 13.6 ,, | |
| ,,3.6 „ 3.7 ,, | 118 „ „ | 16.0 ,, | |
| ,, 3.5 ,, 3.6 ,, | 124 „ | 16.9 ,, | |
| ,, 3.4 „ 3.5 ,, | 113 „ ,, | 15.4 ,, | |
| ,, 3.3 „ 3.4 ,, | 68 ,, ,, | 9.2 ,, | |
| ,, 3.2 „ 3.3 ,, | 15 „ „ | 2.0 ,, | |
| ,,3.1 „ 3.2 ,, | 3 ,, ,, | 0,4 ,, | |
| ,, 3.0 „ 3.1 ,, | 3 ,, ,, | 0.4 ,, | |
| 736 | 100.0 | ||
All samples were systematically tested for the presence of preservatives
and colouring matter but with negative results.