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
Deptford 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford, Metropolitan Borough of]
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50
IV. Food Sampling.
In addition to the previous routine procedure, sampling of milk,
by arrangement with the County Medical Officer, was commenced at
the South-Eastern Hospital and at the public elementary schools in the
Borough. In the case of hospital samples, the chemical content and
bacterial count were ascertained, while the school supplies were
investigated for the presence of tubercle and for chemical content.
Occasional examination for tubercle was also made of milk coming
direct to one of the railway stations.
Frequency of Sampling.—A total of 508 samples, formal and
informal, were taken during the year, equivalent to 5 samples per
1,000 of the population.
The following is a statement of the sampling done and results obtained in 1932:—
| Total. | Number Adulterated. | Percentage of samples adulterated. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal samples | 338 | 10 | 3.0 % |
| Informal samples | 170 | 5 | 2.9 % |
| Total | 508 | 15 | 2.95 % |
The adulteration in respect of samples submitted for analysis during the previous six years is as follows:—
| Year. | Number of Samples taken. | Percentage Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 552 | 1.3 |
| 1927 | 601 | 1.5 |
| 1928 | 604 | 1.8 |
| 1929 | 590 | 1.8 |
| 1930 | 550 | 3.5 |
| 1931 | 507 | 2.6 |
The following is a statement of the samples purchased and submitted
for analysis during 1932.