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
Paddington 1903
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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74
office work.
TABLE 41. Summary of Articles submitted to the Public Analyst during the year 1903.
| Total. | Found Adulterated. | Percentage Adulterated. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 244* | 15 | 0.1 |
| Butter | 96 | 5 | 5.2 |
| Coffee | 40 | 3 | 7.5 |
| Butter on Bread | 15 | 6 | 40.0 |
| Mustard | 15 | 1 | 6.6 |
| Whisky | 14 | — | |
| Pepper | 13 | — | — |
| Jam | 9 | — | — |
| Beer | 8 | — | _ |
| Lard | 8 | — | — |
| Honey | 7 | — | — |
| Arrowroot | 6 | — | — |
| Blaud's Pills | 6 | — | — |
| Bread | 6 | — | — |
| Cream | 6 | 6† | 100.0 |
| Margarine | 5 | - | — |
| Olive Oil | 4 | — | — |
| Vinegar | 4 | — | — |
| Gin | 2 | — | — |
| Sweets | 2 | — | — |
| Bloater Paste | 1 | — | — |
| Green Peas | 1 | — | — |
| Golden Syrup | 1 | — | — |
| Ham and Chicken | 1 | — | — |
| Skim Milk | 1 | — | — |
| Sago | 1 | — | — |
| Tapioca | 1 | " | |
| 517 | 36 | 6.9 |
* Including 61 taken at Paddington Terminus in course of delivery ; 5 adulterated.
f Boric acid, or other boron preparation present.
Of the 244 milk samples taken during the year, 15 (or 6.1 per cent.) proved to be
adulterated. In 1902, the percentage was 11.5. Among the 61 samples taken at the Milk
Platform G.W.R., 5 (8.1 per cent.) were found adulterated, and the remaining 183 samples
(obtained in the street or at shops), 10 were adulterated, equal to 5.4 per cent. The station
samples being obtained at the request of the consignees, who usually have good reason to
suspect adulteration, naturally contain a large proportion of adulterated samples.
Office Work.
The work of the Clerical Staff is not of a nature to be reduced to a statistical record, but the following figures will indicate a small part of the work accomplished during the year:—
| Letters received | 3,566 | Complaints received and entered - | 690 |
| „ despatched | 1,949 | Plans received and entered | 522 |
| Entries in postage book | 8,730 | New entries in Journals | 1,570 |
| Cases of infectious disease, notified and entered in Register | 753 | Orders of disinfection (duplicate) - | 1,879 |
| Ditto forwarded to Metropolitan Asylums Board and Guardians | 753 | Notices for abatement of nuisances, &c., issued | 444 |
| Notices of Infectious sickness to schools, library, &c. | 2,846 |