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
Battersea 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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94
The percentage of samples reported by the Public Analyst to
be adulterated during the quinquennia 1920—1924 and 1925—1929,
and in each year from 1925 onwards, is given in the following
table. It will be seen that there has been a distinct improvement
in the state of the food supply during the past five years.
Year.
Formal
Samples.
(per cent.)
Informal
Samples.
(per cent.)
Mean 1920—1924 6.9 8.9
1925 4.4 2.8
1926 4.3 3.7
1927 4.5 0.8
1928 2.6 1.4
1929 2.6 4.1
Mean 1925—1929 3.7 2.6
1930 2.6 2.2
The following tables give details of the articles of which samples were obtained for the purpose of analysis:—
| Examined. | Adulterated. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature of Sample. | Formal. | Informal. | Total. | Formal. | Informal. | Total. |
| Bread | - | 4 | 4 | - | 0 | 0 |
| Butter | 20 | 56 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cheese | 4 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Cocoa | — | 16 | 16 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Coffee | — | 8 | 8 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Confectionery and Jam | — | 24 | 24 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Cream | — | 13 | 13 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Flour, Self-raising | — | 9 | 9 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Margarine | 5 | 44 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milk | 707 | 1 | 708 | 18 | 1 | 19 |
| ,, Separated | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 0 |
| „ Condensed (Full Cream) | 1 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| „ „ (Machine Skimmed) | - | 8 | 8 | _ | 0 | 0 |
| Mustard | — | 12 | 12 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Sugar | — | 12 | 12 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Tea | — | 29 | 29 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Vinegar | 16 | — | 16 | 0 | — | 0 |
| „ Malt | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Drugs | 1 | 26 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Other Articles | 37 | 134 | 171 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Total | 794 | 406 | 1200 | 21 | 9 | 30 |