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
Hampstead 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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15
the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949, a milk distributor was invited
to appear before the Public Health Committee to show cause why his
registration should not be cancelled.
After hearing the evidence and receiving the explanation of the milk
dealer, the Committee resolved that his registration as a milk distributor
be cancelled.
Food Sampling
(a) Bacteriological Examination of Foodstuffs.
We have received every co-operation and speedy assistance and
advice throughout the year from the Central Public Health Laboratory
Service, Colindale, N.W.9, to whom one hundred and forty-seven samples
were submitted during the vear.
Of these, 60 were in respect of Ice Cream, and were graded under the Methylene Blue Test as follows:—
| Grade I | 24 |
| II | 18 |
| „ III | 7 |
| „ IV | 11 |
17 of the above ice-cream samples were purchased on Hampstead
Heath on Bank Holidays. Of these, 8 were Grade I, 3 Grade II, 3 Grade
III, and 3 Grade IV.
Thirty samples of Pasteurised Milk satisfied both the Methylene Blue
and Phosphatase Tests prescribed by the Milk (Special Designation)
Regulations and the Heat Treatment (Prescribed Tests) Order, 1944.
Other samples were taken as follows:—
| Nature of Sample. | No. of Samples. | Satisfactory. | Unsatisfactory. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Spread | 2 | 2 | - |
| Water | 2 | 2 | — |
| Butter | 1 | 1 | — |
| Washup water from ice-cream servers, etc. | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| Jellied Eels | I | 1 | - |
| Whelks | 2 | — | 2 |
| Cockles | 3 | - | 3 |
| Shrimps | 1 | 1 | — |
| Fish and chips | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tinned veal and ham | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tinned luncheon meat | 2 | 2 | — |
| Toffee apple | 1 | 1 | — |
| Lemon cordial | 1 | 1 | — |
| Orange squash | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tinned meat soup | 1 | 1 | — |
(b) Samples submitted to Chemical Analysis.
A total of 504 samples was sent for analysis.
Adulterated and unsatisfactory samples.
The percentage of adulterated samples was again very small. 8, or
1.6 per cent., as compared with 3.8 per cent. in 1949 and 4.6 per cent.
in 1948. Several of these were more or less venial offences.