London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Deptford 1911

Annual report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford

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38
diately settle on to food suitable for the growth of the germ, and
convert it, especially milk, from being a wholesome food into a
virulent dangerous poison.
Distribution of Condensed Milk.
Regarding the sale of condensed milk from bulk, it has
recently become a common practice in some of the poorer
districts for condensed milk to be sold in small quantities from
open tins; in this way it is sold from a farthingsworth upwards
and is placed in the customers' own vessels, sometimes supplied
in the form of a smear on paper. Such a proceeding is open
to many objections, for not only is machine skimmed milk
often sold for condensed milk without the necessary declaration
on the vessel in contravention to sale under the Food and
Drugs Acts, but it is also open to serious objection on account
of the great opportunity for contamination.
Rickets.
Rickets is a very prevalent disease in Deptford. Many
parents speak of it as a family disease, as being somewhat
naturally incidental to children, and they will relate how each
or several members of the family have suffered one after the
other, and nothing could be done for them. The present efforts
of the Health Department are directed to change entirely this
attitude of mind by teaching the doctrine that rickets is a
preventable disease, that it is more readily prevented than cured,
and that in nearly every case it is caused by improper food and
feeding. We are now circulating the following card, which we
hope will be carefully read and acted on:—
HINTS TO PARENTS REGARDING RICKETS IN CHILDREN.
Rickets is a very serious disease for a baby to have, and
it is very common. It is a disease which is easily prevented
by a little care on the mother's part and easily cured when
taken in time.