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
Lambeth 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth Borough]
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(v) The method of disposal of condemned food.
All condemned animal products are sent to firms
specialising in the making of glues and other like
commodities. Such vegetable waste as is suitable is
converted into pig food under the Council's scheme.
(vi) Details of the few stocks or consignments of food
specially examined have not been kept. The quantities
are included in the food condemned or surrendered, for
which unsound food certificates were issued.
| Year | No. of samples | Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | Grade IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 149 | 123 | 20 | 6 | - |
| 1952 | 179 | 148 | 25 | 5 | 1 |
| 1951 | 96 | 76 | 15 | 4 | 1 |
| 1949 | 99 | 22 | 27 | 29 | 21 |
5. Pood Poisoning.
There have been 133 cases of food poisoning notified during
the year. 70 of these cases occurred as an outbreak in an old
peoples' home where 3½ hours after a breakfast of brawn everyone
of the 70 cases was taken ill with vomiting and diarrhoea within
a few minutes of each other. In a few cases there was temporary
collapse but all recovered within a few hours although six stayed
in bed the next day. An anal swab from each of these six contained
Staphylococcus aureus. None of the brawn was left and all dishes
were washed so that it was not possible to obtain any sample for
examination. The brawn was the one common article in the breakfast
menu eaten by everybody taken ill. The two staff who cooked and
served the breakfast were both free from pathogenic organisms so
that it is presumed that the brawn was infected before it reached
the home. Those responsible could not be traced as it passed
through many hands.
The remaining 63 cases were notified throughout the year and were
not connected with each other.
6. Slaughterhouses
There was no 1icensed slaughterhouse being used in the district
during the year.
SMOKE EMISSION
During the year 26 complaints were received of nuisance from
smoke from factory shafts which were satisfactorily handled without
recourse to more than the intimation notice and by word of
mouth. Sulpher gases would appear likely to cause a greater
nuisance as time goes on since diesel and crude oil are used as
fuels both for moving as well as stationery engines where it is
replacing coal to a greater extent every year.These crude oils too
contain a higher proportion of sulpher than coal.