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
Paddington 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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81
office work.
The preservative found in the non-alcoholic samples was salicylic acid in each case. The
amount of the drug present varying from "a trace" to 7 grains per pint. In the alcoholic
group the proportion of alcohol present varied from 17-23 per cent. of proof spirit, equivalent
to 8.5-ll.5 per cent. of absolute alcohol. An ordinary claret contains about 20 per cent.
of proof spirit.
In the absence of any "standard" composition of "British Wines," it was not thought
desirable to institute proceedings in any of the cases. The labels did not indicate the
presence of preservative but the amount present could not be deemed injurious. The facts
were reported to the Local Government Board.
Jams.—The 5 samples of jam reported as adulterated contained 10-15 per cent. of apple
pulp, that is the pulp of a fruit which was other than that described on the label. In the two
cases which were taken into Court, there was nothing on the labels to indicate any admixture.
In the other cases the label stated that the jams had been "improved" by the addition of
fruit juice (not pulp). No proceedings were instituted but the vendor's attention was directed
to the misleading wording of the labels. An appeal is now pending from convictions on
similar cases obtained by the Marylebone Borough Council.
Cream.—In December, 1909, a circular letter was issued to all vendors of cream warning
them that proceedings would be taken with respect to any sample sold under conditions not
conforming to the suggested regulations set out in Dr. J. M. Hamill's Report to the Local
Government Board.* One-third of the samples purchased last year did not conform with the
prescribed conditions and 4 of the samples formed the subject of proceedings.
Lard.—In respect of the sample reported as adulterated, the vendor satisfied the Committee
that a mistake had been made by his assistant who served "nut lard" for "lard."
Cocoa.—In this case "chocolate" was sold for "cocoa" but the vendor satisfied the
Committee that the assistant had made a mistake.
OFFICE (CLERICAL) WORK.
The appended figures suggest the mass of work which has to be performed by the Clerical Staff, and give but a very imperfect idea of the very large amount of writing which is necessary, the bulk of which cannot be set out in the form of statistics.
| Letters received | 4,300 | Complaints received | 662 | (683) | |
| ,, dispatched | 3,591 | Plans dealt with | 303 | ||
| Entries in postage book | 12,125 | New openings in Journals | 750 | ||
| Cases of infectious disease entered in Register | 531 | Disinfection Orders | |||
| Notices sent re above and other diseases | 6,225 | (duplicate) | 3,173 | ||
| Notices to abate nuisances | 1,251 | ||||
| The figures in parentheses are the returns for 1909. | |||||
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
The results of the cases which were brought before the Police Magistrate are appended
hereto. The Department is able to secure the abatement of nearly all nuisances by service
of "written intimations" which are not, in the legal sense, "notices at all, and the cases
taken into Court form but a small proportion of the total dealt with during the year.
*See page 82 of Report for 1909.