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
Islington 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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1932]
72
| Sunday Milks. | Week-day Milks. | Railway Milks (Farmers). | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years. | No. of Samples | Percent. of non-fatty solids. | Percent. of fat. | No. of Samples | Percent. of non-fatty solids. | Percent. of fat. | No. of Samples | Percent. of non-fatty solids. | Percent. of fat. |
| 1922 | 120 | 8.78 | 3.39 | 356 | 8.76 | 3.34 | 162 | 8.75 | 3.60 |
| 1923 | 120 | 8.82 | 3.55 | 388 | 9.08 | 3.63 | 168 | 8.90 | 3.63 |
| 1924 | 120 | 8.74 | 3.42 | 399 | 8.78 | 3.48 | 162 | 8.87 | 3.65 |
| 1925 | 108 | 8.71 | 3.41 | 384 | 8.71 | 3.37 | 192 | 8.79 | 3.67 |
| 1926 | 83 | 8.81 | 3.65 | 409 | 8.78 | 3.63 | 94 | 8.88 | 3.62 |
| 1927 | 129 | 8.87 | 3.49 | 378 | 8.86 | 3.73 | 233 | 8.84 | 3.69 |
| 1928 | 124 | 8.95 | 3.52 | 362 | 8.93 | 3.49 | 178 | 8.92 | 3.67 |
| 1929 | 142 | 9.02 | 3.50 | 236 | 8.99 | 3.41 | 161 | 9.01 | 3.80 |
| 1930 | 110 | 8.86 | 3.69 | 439 | 8.85 | 3.61 | 123 | 8.90 | 3.90 |
| 1931 | 95 | 8.82 | 3.63 | 329 | 8.83 | 3.64 | 186 | 8.93 | 3.79 |
| Total samples and average constituents (10 years) | 1,151 | 8.84 | 3.53 | 3,680 | 8.86 | 3.53 | 1,659 | 8.88 | 3.70 |
| 1932 | 111 | 8.83 | 3.56 | 306 | 8.82 | 3.60 | 179 | 8.89 | 3.72 |
WARNING REGARDING " MIGRATORY " VENDORS OF MILK AND
THE SALE OF MILK ROUNDS BY THESE AND OTHERS.
During the year 1922 the Borough suffered from what was apparently an
organized attempt on the part of itinerent vendors to foist upon the poorer population
sophisticated milk. Numerous prosecutions ensued and the offenders were so
severely dealt with by the Magistrates that the gang left the neighbourhood, and
the Borough has been practically free from the " cheap " milkman until 1932, the
year under review, when the two persons who were at the head of the gang in 1922
attempted to purvey milk on a number of rounds in Islington. As in 1922, the
procedure was to work up rounds in poor neighbourhoods by selling milk at a very
low price. Five or six weeks later the rounds were then advertised for sale,
usually roughly £100 each with a guaranteed profit of £5 and £6 per week.
Needless to say, the purchasers (who were usually unemployed men with small
savings and no knowledge of the milk trade), were quickly disillusioned and found
that they had lost their savings, and moreover were in trouble with the local
authority, as the formalities regarding registration had in no case been carried out.
When enquiries were made by the Council's Inspectors, false names were usually
given by the vendors, but in two instances the Food and Drugs Inspector was able
to recognize the men, although a period of ten years had elapsed, and when they
were prosecuted for breach of the Regulations, it was possible to prove previous
convictions.
Other Boroughs have been troubled similarly, and several prosecutions initiated
by the victims have been reported in the public press.
Misleading Descriptions. —During the latter part of 1931 and the early
part of 1932, numerous mixtures of what purported to be a mixture of wine with
whisky, brandy and rum were placed on the market at what appeared to be a very
low price, when the label on the bottle was taken into consideration. This label
in nearly every instance stated that the article was blended to a strength of 40