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
City of London 1909
Annual report of Medical Officer of Health for 1909
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128
The following definition of margarine was to be substituted for that
provided in the Butter and Margarine Act, 1907:—
"Margarine shall mean any substance prepared from beef or mutton
"fat, or from any vegetable oil, which in any way resembles butter, or
"is capable of being used for the same general purpose for which butter
"is used, and which is not butter."
Penalties for an offence under the Act varied from £20, £50, and £100
for first, second, and third, or any subsequent offence, respectively.
The clause prohibiting colouring matter in margarine was struck out by
the Standing Committee of the House of Commons, and some variation was
made in the penalty clauses.
The Bill was eventually dropped.
COFFEE.
It is satisfactory to report that none of the 35 samples of coffee
examined during the year were reported against.
The amount of Coffee adulteration found in the City during the last nine years is here given.
| Year. | Samples taken. | Found genuine. | Found adulterated. | Percentage of Adulterated Samples. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9.0 |
| 1902 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 3.7 |
| 1903 | 21 | 21 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1904 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 10.0 |
| 1905 | 79 | 68 | 11 | 13.9 |
| 1906 | 28 | 26 | 2 | 7.1 |
| 1907 | 46 | 46 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1908 | 38 | 37 | 1 | 2.6 |
| 1909 | 35 | 35 | Nil. | Nil. |
MUSTARD.
Of the 24 samples examined, one only was reported against. In this case
the vendor made a satisfactory explanation of the matter to the Committee.
The accompanying Table shows the amount of mustard adulteration discovered during the last nine years.
| Year. | Samples taken. | Found genuine. | Found adulterated. | Percentage of Adulteration. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 13.0 |
| 1902 | 28 | 28 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1903 | 15 | 15 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1904 | 15 | 15 | 1 | 6.2 |
| 1905 | 50 | 48 | 2 | 4.0 |
| 1906 | 8 | 8 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1907 | 14 | 14 | Nil. | Nil. |
| 1908 | 39 | 38 | 1 | 2.5 |
| 1909 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 4.2 |