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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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44
10
REPORT OF THE WORK OF THE PUBLIC
ANALYST FOR 1964
The Public Analyst, D. G. Forbes, b.sc., f.r.i.c., reports as
follows: By virtue of the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act,
1955, 1,000 samples were examined during the year ended 31st
December, 1964; 959 were articles of food and the remaining 41
drugs. All were submitted by the Council's Food Inspectors, 132
having been taken with the formalities required by the Act and 868
informally.
Samples of the following substances were analysed: fats (butter,
margarine, etc.), 81; beverages (cocoa, coffee, tea, etc.), 36; cereal
preparations, 44; cheese products, 24; confectionery, 89; cream, 32;
fish (canned, etc.), 33; fruit (canned and dried), 31; ice-cream, 3;
meat products (including sausages), 126; milk, 208; pickles and
condiments (including spices), 79; preserves, 35; soup, 24; vegetables,
41; aspirin tablets, 4; Friar's balsam, 5; Linctus, 5; ointments,
4; tincture of quinine, 3; seidlitz powders, 3; borax and
honey, 5.
Adulterated Samples
Particulars of the samples reported as adulterated or not up to standard are given in the following table.
| Case No. | Nature of Sample | Nature of Report |
|---|---|---|
| Informal 166 | Ammoniated tincture of quinine | 75 per cent. deficient in ammonia |
| 207 | Friar's balsam | Low total solids content |
| 230 | Buttered rolls | Contained fat other than butter |
| 242 | do. | do. |
| 244 | do. | do. |
| 245 | Rice | Parboiled brown rice |
| 278 | Friar's balsam | Low total solids content and labelling offence |
| 287 | Ham and beef paste | 6.5 per cent. deficient in meat |
| 301 | Pork sausages | 12 per cent. deficient in meat |
| 302 | Beef sausages | 10 per cent. deficient in meat |
| 304 | Pork sausages | 10.5 per cent deficient in meat |
| 305 | Chicken broth | Discolouration by iron compounds |
| 307 | Meat | Blue pigment, probably ultramarine |
| 323 | Milk | Not less than 5.5 per cent. deficient in milk fat |
| 376 | Bread | Contained black stains of fine carbon particles |
| 403 | Lemon Glucose drink | Contained excess saccharin |
| 405 | Shandy (canned) | Defective tin |
| 406 | Sugar crystals (cake decorations) | Contained non permitted colouring matter |
| 410 | Fried chips | Rancid fat |
| 422 | Pork sausages | Deficient in meat content |