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
Chelsea 1939
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chelsea, 1939
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82
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
During the year ended 31st December, 1938, four hundred samples
were submitted to me for analysis by the Sampling Officers appointed
under the Act. Of these 261 samples were taken as "Formal," and 139
were purchased informally.
It has not been the custom for your Sampling Officers to discuss the
nature of samples submitted with the Public Analyst, and the wide range
of substances chosen reflects credit on them.
In the tables are shown the names and numbers of samples examined,
whether submitted formally or informally, and the number of each type
reported as " Adulterated " or " Inferior."
Only two samples were returned as adultered, and the Borough is to be congratulated that the percentage of adulteration is only 0.5 per cent. Two other samples were reported to be inferior because they did not comply with the standard, which your Analyst expects, although they could not be described as adulterated. All samples not reported as adulterated or inferior were returned as " Genuine."
| Article. | Taken Formally | Adulterated. | Taken Informally. | Adulterated. | Total Samples Analysed | Total Samples Adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 88 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 97 | 0 |
| Milk, Condensed | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Milk, Malted | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Milk, Soured | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Almonds, Ground or Salted | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baking Powder | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Barley | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Blanc-Mange and Custard Powders | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Butter | 11 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Cake and Pudding Mixtures | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Cereal Food | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cheese | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (1) | 1 | 1 (1) |
| Cherries, Glaæ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cocoa | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Cocoa, Malted | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Coffee | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Cofiee and Chicory | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Cream, Fresh | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Cream, Tinned | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fish, Preserved | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Fish Paste | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Flour | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |