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
Lewisham 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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Meat and other Foods.—All premises upon which food is
prepared and sold are inspected regularly, and the following
visits were made during the year: —
Slaughterhouses 534
Cowhouses 60
Bakehouses 206
Restaurants and Eating-houses 294
Meatshops and Stalls 885
Sale of Food and Drugs Act.
Four hundred and sixty-seven samples were taken under
the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, and submitted to the Public
Analyst during the year.
Of this number 357 were purchased officially in conformity
with the provisions of the Acts, and the remaining 110 were
bought informally as "test" samples.
Five or 1.1 per cent, of the official samples were certified
by the Public Analyst as being adulterated, or below legal
standard, compared with 2.05 per cent, in 1925.
The following Table shows the nature and number of samples analysed, and the number found to be adulterated:—
| Article submitted for Analysis. | No. of Samples Submitted. | Number Genuine. | Number Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 355 | 350 | 5 |
| Separated Milk | 2 | 2 | — |
| Total Official Samples | 357 | 352 | 5 |
| Butter | 31 | 29 | 2 |
| Cream | 10 | 10 | — |
| Preserved Cream | 8 | 8 | — |
| Cocoa | 9 | 9 | — |
| Coffee | 13 | 13 | — |
| Flour | 6 | 6 | — |
| Lard | 6 | 6 | — |
| Mustard | 9 | 9 | — |
| Medicinal Prescriptions | 2 | 2 | — |
| Pepper | 6 | 6 | — |
| Vinegar | 4 | 4 | — |
| Imported Apples | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Total Informal Samples | 1 | 106 | 4 |
| Totals, all Samples | 467 | 458 | 9 |