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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[1899
221
This sophisticated milk is a little better than the standard
milk of Somerset House, for it contains 0.09 per cent, more fat
and 0.42 per cent, more non-fatty solids, and would, therefore, still
admit of a little skimming and a little watering.
Preservatives in Milk.—All the Milks, 532 in number, were
examined for the presence of boric acid, which was found to be
present in in 142, or 26.7 per cent. Of the milks treated with this
preservative 15, or 10.6 per cent., were adulterated, while of the
390 non-preserved milks 30, or 7.7 per cent., were adulterated.
Of the 181 Sunday Milks, 55 were preserved with boric acid,
and of these 8, or 14.5 per cent., were adulterated, while of the
remaining 126, 19, or 15.1 per cent had been tampered with.
Of the 231 Week Day Milks, 58 were treated with preservatives,
of which 6, or 10.3 per cent., were adulterated, while of the
remaining 173 non-preserved milks, 21, or 12.1 per cent, were
sophisticated.
Now by the addition of separated milk, which usually contains 0.25 per cent of fat and 9.2 per cent, of solids not fat, in proper proportion to the farmers' milk, it is possible to produce the standard milk of Somerset House. It may be done, and I suppose is largely done as follows:—
| By taking | Fat. | Solids not Fat. |
|---|---|---|
| 5 parts of Farmers' Milk | 21.15 | 44.10 |
| 2 „ " Separated Milk" | 0.50 | 18.40 |
| We get 7 „ a Sophisticated Milk | 21.65 | 62.050 |
| Containing | 3.09 | 8.92 |
| as against the Somerset House Standard | 3.00 | 8.50 |
| Difference in favour of Sophisticated Milk | 0.09 | 0.42 |
Of the 120 Railway Milks 29, or 24.2 per cent contained boric acid, of which 1 was adulterated.
| Sunday Milks. | Weekday Milks. | Railway Milks. | All Milks. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Samples | l8l | 23I | 120 | 532 |
| ,, preserved with boric acid | 55 | 58 | 29 | 142 |
| Percentage with boric acid | 30.4 | 25.1 | 24.2 | 26.7 |
| Number of preserved milks adulterated | 8 | 6 | 1 | 15 |
| Ditto percentage adulterated | 14.5 | 10.3 | 3.4 | 10.6 |