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
Wandsworth 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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Report of the Medical Officer of Health. 169
| Sub-District. | No. of Samples taken. | No. per 1,000 of Population. | No. Adulterated. | Percentage Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clapham | 162 | 2.9 | 12 | 7.2 |
| Putney | 112 | 4.1 | 13 | 11.1 |
| Streatham | 186 | 2.2 | 17 | 8.3 |
| Tooting | 69 | 2.6 | 10 | 14.4 |
| Wandsworth | 221 | 3.0 | 33 | 14.9 |
| Whole Borough | 750 | 2.8 | 85 | 11.3 |
Samples of milk have been taken on delivery at the various public
institutions and railway stations in the Borough during the year, and
in all cases, with two exceptions, such samples were returned as
genuine. It would seem, therefore, that in the majority of cases the
adulteration of milk takes place after its delivery to the small
retailers.
| Premises. | No. of Samples taken. | No. Adulterated. | Percentage Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Institutions | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| Railway Stations | 17 | ... | ... |
73 samples of milk were taken on Sundays in the early morning,
11 of which, or 13.6 per cent., were reported to be adulterated, compared
with 51 samples and 9.8 per cent. adulterated in 1903.
The adulteration of butter, as judged by the analyses, seems to
have been practised to a much larger extent than during the previous
year, for whereas the percentage in 1903 was 4.4, it rose to 7.2 during
1904. It is satisfactory to note, however, that the sophistication of