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

Battersea 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]

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Table: The average composition of the 462 samples of milk reported as genuine, proved to be as under :—

The average composition of the 462 samples of milk reported as genuine, proved to be as under :—

Total milk solids12.42 per cent.
Milk fat3.61
Non-fatty solids8.81

Table: The Analyst reports that the content of milk fat in these 462 samples ranged as follows :—

The Analyst reports that the content of milk fat in these 462 samples ranged as follows :—

4 per cent, and over50 samples or 10.8 per cent.
Between 3-9 and 4.0 percent.15 „ „ 3.2 „
„ 3.8 „ 3.9 „37 „ „ 8.0 „
„ 3.7 „ 3.8 „55 „ „ 11.9 „
„ 3.6 „ 3.7 „72 „ „ 15.6 „
„ 3.5 „ 3.6 „92 „ „ 19.9 „
„ 3.4 „ 3.5 „55 „ „ 11.9 „
„ 3.3 „ 3.4 „63 „ „ 137 „
„ 3.2 „ 3.3 „16 „ „ 3.5 „
„ 3.1 „ 3.2 „5 „ „ 1.1 „
„ 3.0 „ 3.1 „2 „ „ 0.4 „
462100.0

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Adulterated Samples.
The following action was taken in regard to the 3 formal
samples certified as adulterated : —
No. 83. Olive Oil. Acid value 4.5 as against normal figure of
2; inedible and unsuitable for medicinal purposes.
Cautionary letter sent.
No. 86. Oatmeal. Contained 71.5 per cent, coarse broken oats,
27.3 per cent, semolina and 1.2 per cent, pearl barley.
Cautionary letter sent.
No. 91. Non-brewed Vinegar. 15 per cent, deficient in acetic
acid. Legal proceedings taken. Defendant discharged
under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1948, on
payment of £5 ss. costs.
Heat Treated Milk.
Samples of pasteurised and sterilised milk are taken at regular
intervals for submission to the Public Analyst for the prescribed tests,
and during the year samples as under were taken with the results set
out: —
Phosphatase Methylene Blue
Satisfactory Failed Satisfactory Failed
Pasteurised 57 1 57 1
Turbidity
Satisfactory Failed
Sterilised 24
Monthly returns of the samples taken, and of the results of the
examinations, are sent to the Milk Division of the Ministry of Food,
and they are at once notified of any adverse report.