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
Stepney 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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Table H.
| Number. | Fat percent. | Solidsnot-fat per cent. | Description. | Hortvet. f | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freezing Point. | Calculated added water. | Calculated original Solidsnot-fat. | ||||
| M 20 | 3.35 | 8.45 | School contract | -0.514° C. | 3.0 | 8.71 |
| T 28 | 3.40 | 8.60 | School contract | -0.527° C. | less than 1.0 | — |
| L 21 | 3.20 | 8.45 | School contract | -0.521° C. | 1.7 | 8.60 |
| T 71 | 3.35 | 8.50 | School contract | -0.516° C. | 2.6 | 8.73 |
| X 84 | 3.40 | 8.37 | School, poor quality. | -0.522° C. | 1.5 | 8.50 |
| G 18 | 3.05 | 8.35 | Poor quality | —0.508° C. | 4.2 | 8.72 |
| T 70 | 3.00 | 8.27 | Poor quality | -0.498° C. | 6.0 | 8.80 |
| C 23 | 3.10 | 8.37 | Poor quality, sterilised. | -0.521 ° C. | 1.7 | 8.52 |
| G 72 | 3.90 | 8.25 | Poor quality | —0.502° C. | 5.3 | 8.71 |
| B 44 | 2.82 | 8.49 | Deficient in fat | —0.515° C. | 2.8 | 8.73 |
| C 49 | 3.15 | 8.07 | Deficient in SnF. | —0.504° C. | 4.9 | 8.49 |
| X 81 | 3.94 | 7.88 | Deficient in SnF. | —0.501 ° C. | 5.5 | 8.34 |
| T 42 | 3.04 | 7.66 | Deficient in SnF. | —0.478° C. | 9.8 | 8.49 |
| A 91 | 3.43 | 7.89 | Deficient in SnF. | -0.474° C. | 10.6 | 8.83 |
| K 81 | 4.67 | 7.89 | High fat, deficient in SnF. | -0.491 ° C. | 7.4 | 8.52 |
| K 17 | 3.35 | 8.45 | Ordinary sample | -0.525° C. | less than 1.0 | — |
| G 75 | 3.40 | 9.22 | High Solids-not-fat. | -0.540° C. | - | — |
| S 70 | 2.25 | 8.52 | Sold as separated | —0./526° C. | less than 1.0 | — |
| D 4 | 16.55 | 7.90 | High fat | -0.541 ° C. | — | — |
The above results show that doubtful school contract samples and poor
quality samples are really adulterated. The least amount of added water
present is shown in each case. Sample X 81 in particular show's from the
calculated percentage of solids-not-fat in the original milk that the depression
of the freezing point of the milk before watering must have been considerably
greater than 0.53, and therefore the added water much more than 5.5 percent.
The presumptive legal minimum of 8.5 percent. solids-not-fat is unsatisfactory.
This basis of calculation is too low, the added water certified being usually
several percent. below the truth. It is not possible to obtain convictions
on such samples as the poor quality milks given above as the calculated
deficiency on the 8.5 basis is too small.
In the Dried Milk and Condensed Milk Regulations the composition of
standard milk is given as :—Fat 3.0 percent. solids-not-fat 8.8 percent., and
this figure or other agreed figure might well be taken as a basis for calculation