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
Islington 1898
Forty-third annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington
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1898] 160
Altogether 543 samples of milk were examined, of which 51, or
9•4 per cent., were sophisticated. The largest amount of adulteration
occurred in the first quarter, when, out of 134 milks, 20, or 14•9 per cent.,
were adulterated, while the least adulteration took place in the second
quarter, when, out of 120 samples, only 8, or 63 per cent., were wrong.
Of the 193 milks procured on Sundays, 28, or 15 per cent., were
adulterated. This proportion was 5 per cent. greater than that found
in the milks bought on week-days, of which 23 out of 230, or 10 per
cent., had been tampered with.
Of the milks procured in transit at the railway stations not one
was found to be adulterated, which proves that the farmers as a rule
send milk into London which will pass the standard of Somerset House.
The following are the figures for each quarter and lor the year of the analyses of the milks procured at Finsbury Park Station.
| No. of samples analysed. | Fat. | Solids less fat. | Total Solids. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | 30 | 3•55 | 9•06 | 12•61 |
| 2nd „ | 30 | 3•50 | 8•77 | 12•27 |
| 3rd „ | 30 | 5•25 | 8•52 | 13•77 |
| 4th „ | 30 | 3•86 | 9•01 | 12•87 |
| The Year | 120 | 4•04 | 8•84 | 12•88 |
There was an unusual amount of fat found in the milks procured
during the third quarter. This was probably due to the fact that five
milks gave respectively 8•0, 7•39, 9•3, 12•5, and 8•01 per cent. of fat
respectively. Even with these milks with their unusual percentages of
fat deducted from the total milks the remaining 25 milks showed an
average of 4•44 per cent. of fat, while the solids, less fat, was 8•63 per
cent., thus making the total solids 13•07 per cent. These figures prove
that the milk delivered during the period was of good quality.