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
Poplar 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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83
The adulteration shows an increase on the two previous years but is
lower than the average for the past ten years.
The number of samples examined during the year was at the rate of
5.7 per 1,000 of the population, as compared with 9.7 per 1,000 for the
whole of London, and 3.46 per 1,000 for the whole of England and Wales
in 1933.
451 samples of milk were examined, of which 35, or 7.8 per cent.,
were found to be adulterated and 35 samples were reported as of inferior
quality.
During the past ten years the milk adulteration in the Borough was as follows:—
| Year. | No. of Milks examined. | Percentage of adulteration. |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 451 | 7.8 |
| 1933 | 382 | 3.9 |
| 1932 | 367 | 2.2 |
| 1931 | 392 | 3.3 |
| 1930 | 426 | 4.0 |
| 1929 | 284 | 4.9 |
| 1928 | 386 | 4.4 |
| 1927 | 351 | 4.6 |
| 1926 | 372 | 5.4 |
| 1925 | 382 | 3.9 |
| Average | 379 | 4.4 |
The figure for milk adulteration looks as if there might have been a
big increase during the year. This can be accounted for by the fact that
in connection with one case, samples were taken in course of delivery
and in another case several informal samples were taken. In both cases
there were many adulterated samples. The adulteration amongst the
remaining milk samples was about average.
The average milk adulteration for the whole of London was at the
rate of 2.6 per cent., and for the whole of England and Wales 7.7 per
cent. in 1933.