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
Greenwich 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough.
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| Article | How Obtained | Examination | Action Taken | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bact. or Chem | Result | |||
| Rhubarb (canned) | Complaint by member of the public that the inside of the can was discoloured. | Chem. | Parts of the interior of the can had become corroded, probably originating from minute flaws in the protective lacquering, thus causing discolouration. The rhubarb was found to be in good edible condition and free from excessive metallic contamination. | Complainant notified. |
| Smoked Salmon Paste | Taken from manufacturers following letter from M.O.H., Shore-ditch, regarding two cases of suspected food poisoning believed to have been caused by smoked salmon paste manufactured in this Borough. | Bact. | No pathogenic organisms were isolated, including examination for Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium Welchii. | M.O.H., Shore-ditch, and manufacturers notified. |
| Bread Roll | Complaint by member of the public that bread roll contained a foreign body. | Chem. | Foreign body identified as a shred of currant skin. | Complainant and manufacturer notified. |
| Tomato Puree (canned) (2 samples) | Taken from wharf in Borough. | Chem. | First sample contained 165 p.p.m. tin. Second sample, 450 p.p.m. tin. This exceeded recommended standard by Food Standards Committee of Ministry. Interior surface of latter can had been badly corroded and puree had unpleasant metallic taste. High tin content coupled with deterioration in flavour rendered one tin unsuitable for human consumption. | Importer notified and further tins were taken for sampling. |