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
Hampstead 1909
Report for the year 1909 of the Medical Officer of Health
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The following table shows the articles of which samples were taken during the year, and the number found to be adulterated or of low quality:—
| Article. | Number taken. | Adulterated. | Low Quality. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 64 | 1 | — |
| Butter on Bread | 14 | 6 | — |
| Cheese | 15 | — | — |
| Cocoa | 9 | 1 | — |
| Coffee | 22 | 1 | — |
| Cream | 12 | 1 | — |
| Gin | 1 | 1 | — |
| Glycerine | 1 | — | — |
| Jam | 3 | — | — |
| Lard | 18 | — | — |
| Magnesia, Citrate of | 2 | — | — |
| Margarine | 5 | — | — |
| Milk | 328 | 9 | 19 |
| Oatmeal | 1 | — | — |
| Olive Oil | 3 | — | — |
| Rum | 1 | — | — |
| Sago | 2 | — | — |
| Sweets | 2 | — | — |
| Tapioca | 2 | — | - |
| Whiskey | 1 | — | — |
| Totals | 506 | 20 | 19 |
The following table shows the number of samples analysed during each year from 1903 to 1909, the number and percentage of the adulterated samples, and the fines and costs recovered in legal proceedings:—
| Year. | Samples analysed. | Number adulterated. | Percentage adulterated. | Fines and Costs. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | ||||
| 1903 | 366 | 14 | 3.8 | 37 | 3 | 0 |
| 1904 | 406 | 8 | 1.9 | 35 | 8 | 6 |
| 1905 | 414 | 8 | 1.9 | 33 | 15 | 0 |
| 1906 | 413 | 20 | 4.8 | 50 | 8 | 6 |
| 1907 | 407 | 36 | 8.8 | 49 | 18 | 6 |
| 1908 | 508 | 18 | 3.5 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 1909 | 506 | 20 | 3.9 | 29 | 4 | 6 |