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
Battersea 1912
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1912
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84
Sale of Food and Drug's Acts.
The object of these Acts is two-fold in character, viz.: (a) to
protect the honest trader from fraudulent competition, and (b) to
safeguard the public from fraud, imposition, and danger to health
in regard to food and drugs.
During 1912 1,000 samples were purchased within the
Borough of Battersea and submitted to the Public Analyst for
analysis. Of these 1,000 samples 96 (i.e., 9.6 per cent.) were reported
by the analyst to be adulterated, and in addition 16 of these
1,000 samples were certified by him to be of inferior quality.
The following table gives details of the number of samples purchased during the year, and the number found to be genuine or otherwise.
| Description of Article. | Total No. of Samples taken. | Genuine. | Adulterated. | Inferior. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowroot | 4 | 4 | - | - |
| Bread | 6 | 6 | — | — |
| Butter | 155 | 138 | 10 | 7 |
| Cheese | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Cocoa | 18 | 17 | — | 1 |
| Coffee | 18 | 18 | — | — |
| Cream | 6 | 2 | 4 | — |
| Cream of Tartar | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| Flour | 6 | 6 | — | — |
| Fruit Jelly | 5 | 5 | — | — |
| Gin | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Honey | 5 | 5 | — | — |
| Lard | 14 | 13 | 1 | — |
| Margarine | 10 | 10 | — | — |
| Milk | 629 | 576 | 53 | — |
| Mustard | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| Oatmeal | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| Olive Oil | 5 | 3 | — | 2 |
| Pepper | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| Potted and Preserved Meats | 34 | 26 | 8 | - |
| Rice | 9 | 1 | 8 | — |
| Rum | 3 | 3 | - | — |
| Sausages | 20 | 12 | 8 | — |
| Soda (Bicarbonate) | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| Tartaric Acid | 4 | 2 | - | 2 |
| Vinegar | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Whisky | 7 | 7 | — | — |
| Totals | 1,000 | 888 | 96 | 16 |