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
Sutton and Cheam 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Sutton and Cheam]
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During the last year or so there has been a marked increase in the number of applications for permission to sell ice cream as shown by the following table:-
| Year | Number of applications. |
|---|---|
| 1946 | 7 |
| 1947 | 9 |
| 1948 | 10 |
| 1949 | 29 |
| 1950 | 27 |
2. Samplings (Bacteriological)
During the year 104 samples of ice cream were taken for
provisional grading ana bacteriological examination.
The following table shows the provisional gradlngs and
percentages for the year 1950, and for comparative purposes
the results of 155 samples taken in 1949.
A COMPARATIVE TABLE - PROVISIONAL GRADING.
| 1950 Grading of Samples | 1949 Grading of Samples | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Samples: Grade 1 - 69.23% | 93 | Samples: Grade I - 60.00% | ||
| 16 | „ „ 2 - 15.38% | 25 | „ „2-163.12% | ||
| 12 | „ „ 3 - 11. 53% | 28 | „ „ 3 - 18. 06% | ||
| 4 | „ „ 4-3.84% | 9 | „„ 4 - 5.08% | ||
| 104 | Total | 155 | Total | ||
The Ministry of Health recommend that over a given period
50% of the vendors samples should fall into Grade 1, 80% into
Grades 1 or 2, not more than 20% into Grade 3 and none into
Grade 4,
It will be observed that the 1950 provisional grading
results show an improvement on the results obtained in 1949
A ertaln amount of credit for this progressive change
is due to the fact that in many instances the granting of
registration certificates for the sale of ice cream is made
on condition that only pre-packed ice cream may be sold at
those premises.
In order to maintain a high degree of bacteriological
purity it is the practice immediately to notify the dealer
if faecal coli are found to be present in the ice cream and
he is also Informed if samples are placed in grades other
than 1 or 2. It is gratifying to report that the result of
this practice is reflected in the usually improved results
obtained when further samples are taken
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