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
Kensington 1926
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1926
This page requires JavaScript
(b) Informal samples.— These are taken without compliance with the strict formalities of the Food and Drugs Act, and serve to show the conditions obtaining without disclosing to the vendor the fact that samples are being taken for analysis. Particulars of informal samples collected are as follow:—
| Nature of Sample. | Number Taken. | Number Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|
| Almonds, Ground | 1 | ... |
| Apples | 1 | ... |
| Asparagus, Tinned | 4 | 1 |
| Butter | 11 | ... |
| Cakes, Sponge | 9 | ... |
| Cheese | 9 | ... |
| Catsup, Tomato | 1 | ... |
| Cocoa | 3 | ... |
| Coffee and Chicory | 1 | ... |
| Cream | 9 | ... |
| Fish, Potted | 1 | ... |
| Ginger Beer | 1 | ... |
| Honey | 10 | ... |
| Lard | 3 | ... |
| Lemon Cheese or Curd | 5 | 1 |
| Lemon Essence | 1 | ... |
| Lemonade, Crystals | 1 | ... |
| Margarine | 10 | ... |
| Meat, Potted | 12 | ... |
| Milk | 126 | 8 |
| „ Condensed | 6 | ... |
| „ Dried | 6 | ... |
| Mustard | 2 | ... |
| „ Compound | 1 | ... |
| Oysters | 2 | 1 |
| Peas, Dried | ... | |
| „ Split | 3 | ... |
| „ Tinned | 3 | ... |
| Powder, Baking | 2 | ... |
| Rennet, Essence of | 1 | 1 |
| Rice | 6 | 1 |
| Salt, Table | 1 | ... |
| Sauce | 4 | ... |
| Sausages | 23 | 9 |
| Soup, Ox tail | 1 | ... |
| Tea | 1 | ... |
| Tomatoes, Tinned | 1 | ... |
| Vinegar | 20 | 5 |
| Whisky | 6 | ... |
| Wines "British" | 3 | ... |
| Total | 313 | 27 |
No legal proceedings can be taken in respect of an informal sample, but when adulteration is
discovered formal samples are obtained immediately and necessary action taken.