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
Marylebone 1918
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1918
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12
Milk.—339 samples of milk were analysed. Of these 11 or a little more than
3 % were adulterated, 7 out of the 11 had been dilated, 4 of the dilutions were
excessive, from 24 to 35%; the remainder were samples deprived of milk fat from
6.7 to nearly 27 %.
Preservatives were not detected in any of the samples, and colouring is now
rare.
The mean composition of the genuine samples of milk is shown by the table to be well over the official standard and not dissimilar to that of previous years.
| Sp. Gr. | Milk Fat. | Solids, not Fat. | Total Solids. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | 1031.3 | 3.75 | 8.77 | 12.52 |
| 1915 | 1032.0 | 3.72 | 8.82 | 12.54 |
| 1916 | 1031.0 | 3.63 | 8.57 | 12.20 |
| 1917 | 1032.0 | 3.70 | 8.80 | 12.50 |
| 1918 | 1030.2 | 3.75 | 8.75 | 12.50 |
Butter.—Sixty-nine samples of butter were examined. Only 1 was free from
boric acid, the rest contained boric acid up to 26 grains per lb.
Margarine.—The 24 samples of margarine, all genuine, contained boric acid up
to 28 grains per lb.
Cream.—The absence this time of samples of cream is because cream was not
allowed to be sold.
Miscellaneous Samples.—Among these was a sample of plum jam containing
10 % of apple pulp; a few drugs were also examined all of which conformed to the
British Pharmacopoeia."
Public Health (Milk and Cream) Regulations, 1912.—The following
report is submitted in accordance witn requirements of the Local Government Board :
1.
| (a) Number of samples examined for the presence of a preservative. | (b) Number in which a preservative was reported to be present. | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 328 | — |
| Cream | — | — |
2.
| (a) | Instances in which samples have been submitted for analysis to ascertain if the statements on the label as to preservatives were correct. |
| (i.) Correction statements made — | |
| (ii.) Statements incorrect — | |
| Total — | |
| (b) | Determinations made of milk fat in cream sold as preserved cream. |
| (i.) Above 35 per cent — | |
| (ii.) Below 35 per cent — | |
| Total — |