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
Finsbury 1902
Report on the public health of 1902
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201
Underground Bakehouses.
Above
Ground
Bakehouses.
Average number of
bacteria falling on
each 9.6 inches
(mean of three
plates each)
B C D E Z
800 680 600 600 200
The numbers on a second examination may be set out in relation to the position of the plates as follows:—
| Number ofBacteria on plate on Shelf. | Number ofBacteria on plate onTable or Trough. | Number ofBacteria on plate on Floor. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underground Bakehouse C | 490 | 720† | 850 |
| Above ground Shop of C | 130 | 150 | 720 |
| Above ground Bakehouse Z | 150 | 170† | 300 |
These figures, which have been most carefully checked, speak
for themselves, and in comparison with each other are of interest.
In order to complete the comparison, however, it seemed desirable
to examine the outside air around one of these Bakehouses. For
convenience Bakehouse C,which is situated in Whitecross Street,
was selected, and agar plates were exposed for 30 minutes and
treated in the same way as all the other plates. The results
were as follows:—
† A number of the plates were photographed, and illustrations were
appended to the Special Report of these two plates.