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
Holborn 1925
Report for the year 1925 of the Medical Officer of Health
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48
by the wholesaler to the retailer just before the purchase and presumably served
from the can without stirring. It is probable that even distribution of the milk fat
is not secured by casual mixing with a hand measure, the use of efficient plungers
would secure this end; on the other hand where there is reason to believe milk is
properly plunged an analysis has shown the presence of over four per cent. of fat.
Of the 22 samples referred to above 12 were purchased at dairies or milk
shops, eight at general shops and two from street vendors.
But to my knowledge analyses of the contents of individual churns show
that the percentage of fat in very many is considerably above 3 per cent. In some
the fat contents of the milk were over 4 per cent.
The following table shows the average composition of milk samples purchased during each month of 1925.
| Number of Samples examined. | Total Solids, per cent. average. | Solids Non-fat. Per cent. average. | Fat. Per cent. average. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 12.18 | 8.85 | 3.33 |
| February | 22 | 12.22 | 8.83 | 3.39 |
| March | 18 | 12.41 | 8.92 | 3.49 |
| April | 20 | 12.57 | 8.90 | 3.67 |
| May | 20 | 12.45 | 8 .95 | 3.50 |
| June | 28 | 12.44 | 8 .99 | 3.45 |
| July | 10 | 12.29 | 8.91 | 3.38 |
| August | 10 | 12.50 | 8.97 | 3.53 |
| September | 10 | 12.55 | 9.02 | 3.53 |
| October | 14 | 12.97 | 9.08 | 3.89 |
| November | 19 | 12.47 | 8.81 | 3.66 |
| December | 9 | 13.11 | 9.03 | 4.08 |
| Whole year | 199 | 12.48 | 8.93 | 3.55 |
| Legal Minimum | 11.50 | 8.50 | 3.00 |
It will bo seen that the seasonal variations are not very marked; the highest
percentage of fat was in December and the lowest in January. From this, as well as the
figures given above, it would seem that the legal minimum for fat in milk is too low.
The regulations issued in 1923 respecting condensed milk and dried milk prescribe
that the equivalent of fat must be calculated on a 3.6 per cent. basis, and it seems
reasonable to suggest that the legal minimum for ordinary milk should be raised,