London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1921
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1921
This page requires JavaScript
The following table gives details of the articles of which samples were obtained for purposes of analysis:—
| Description of Article. | Total No. of samples taken. | Genuine. | Adulterated. | Inferior. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicarb. of Soda | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| British Wines | 5 | — | 5 | — |
| Butter | 49 | 46 | — | 3 |
| Cheese | 18 | 18 | — | — |
| Cocoa | 18 | 18 | — | — |
| Coffee | 23 | 23 | — | — |
| Cream | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Cream-Preserved | 9 | 1 | 8 | — |
| Cream of Tartar | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Dripping | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
| Honey | 5 | 5 | — | — |
| Jam | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| Lard | 16 | 16 | — | — |
| Margarine | 16 | 16 | — | — |
| Milk | 714 | 678 | 86 | — |
| Milk (Separated) | 17 | 12 | 5 | — |
| Mustard | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Olive Oil | 5 | 5 | — | — |
| Preserved Meats | 33 | 25 | 8 | |
| Preserved Peas | 10 | 1 | 9 | — |
| Rice | 11 | 10 | 1 | — |
| Sausages | 14 | 5 | 9 | — |
| Vinegar | 17 | 16 | 1 | — |
| White Pepper | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| Totals | 1,000 | 914 | 83 | 3 |
Of the samples taken the bulk were of milk, vis., whole
milk 714, separated milk 17.
Of the 714 whole milk samples analysed, 36 or 5·0 per
cent. were certified as being adulterated. Five or 29·4 per cent.
of the separated milk samples were certified to contain
extraneous water.
Milk sampling was carried out on 18 Sundays during the
year, and 90 samples were purchased for analysis on these
occasions.
Samples of milk in course of delivery to the wholesale
firms or to retailers to the number of 171 were taken during the
year. The bulk of these samples were taken at Clapham
Junction and South Lambeth railway stations.