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

Islington 1899

Forty-fourth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington

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1899J
216
In addition to the above samples 48 were bought under the
Margarine Act, of which 7, or 14*7 per cent., were sold contrary to
its provisions.

Table: In the following statement will be seen the result of the analyses for each quarter :—

In the following statement will be seen the result of the analyses for each quarter :—

No. of Samples.Genuine.Adulterated.Per cent, adulterated.
1899.1898.
1st Quarter2402122811.716.5
2nd „229213166.98.8
3rd „215194219.77.2
4th „215201146.68.2
Totals899820798.7910.5

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The proportion of articles proved on analysis to have been
adulterated was lower than in any year since 1891, being only 8.8 per
cent I do not for a moment believe that this correctly represents
the fraudulent practices that are indulged in by traders in Islington,
but in order to detect them it is essential that an inspector who
devotes the whole, or a considerable portion, of his time to the
administration of the Adulteration Acts work, should be appointed
for the purpose. At the present moment an experiment is being made
in this direction, and with very good results, for the amount of
fraud unearthed has been considerably increased.

Table: The following are the particulars for past years contrasted with the returns of 1899 :—

The following are the particulars for past years contrasted with the returns of 1899 :—

Year.No. of Samples.Genuine.Adulterated.Per cent. Adulterated.
1891368345236.2
18923673026517.7
18933783275113.5
18943903424812.3
18957726739912.8
18967556619412.4
18978637659811.3
18988757849i10.5
1899899820798.8
Totals (9 years)5,6675,01964811.4