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 1909
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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223
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The following Table shows the number of milk, butter, coffee,
and other samples submitted for analysis, and the number and
percentage of adulterations in each class. It also shows the
number of samples actually purchased by the Inspector and the
number purchased by the various assistants employed, together
with the percentage of adulterations detected in each class.
| Sub-District. | No. of Samples taken. | No. per 1,000 of Population. | No. Adulterated. | Percentage Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clapham | 186 | 2.7 | 15 | 8.1 |
| Putney | 104 | 3.2 | 11 | 10.5 |
| Streatham | 274 | 2.6 | 8 | 2.9 |
| looting | 158 | 4.9 | 23 | 14.5 |
| Wandsworth | 308 | 3.1 | 14 | 4.5 |
| Whole Borough | 1,030 | 3.0 | 71 | 6.89 |
It will be noted from the above Table that 15 beverages were
procured during the year. I had been informed that at many of
the public-houses in the Borough ginger beer was being served
from the engine or counter pump, with a lead pipe communicating
with the ginger beer in the barrel. 1 had several samples taken,
which proved on analysis to contain metallic lead to such an
extent that the continued consumption of the ginger beer would
have produced symptoms of lead poisoning. The Public Health
Committee recommended that the following notice should be sent
to all persons in the Borough who sold ginger beer, drawing their
attention to the danger of serving it from the engine:—