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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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122
analytical work.
ANALYTICAL WORK.
Food Adulteration.—Last year 601 samples were submitted to the Public Analyst, the
number found to be adulterated being 61, or 43 less than in 1912, when the total number of
samples was 600. The proportion of samples found to be adulterated in each of the last six
years is shown below.
Percentage of total Samples adulterated.
1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1908-12. 1913.
2.6 8.6 9.0 8.3 17.4 9.2 10.1
Table 62 contains a complete list of the food-stuffs samples during the year.
TABLE 62. Samples taken under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, &c.
| Total. | Found Adulterated. | Percentage Adulterated. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 259* | 30 | 11.6 |
| Butter | 75 | 3 | 4.0 |
| Vinegar | 31 | 7 | 22.6 |
| Coffee | 26 | 1 | 3.8 |
| Jams | 20 | 3 | 15.0 |
| Sausages and German Sausage | 20 | 8 | 40.0 |
| Ketchup | 16 | — | — |
| Rice | 15 | — | — |
| Brawn | 14 | 4 | 28.5 |
| Cocoa | 13 | — | — |
| Mincemeat | 12 | — | — |
| Margarine | 11 | — | — |
| Camphorated Oil | 10 | 2 | 20.0 |
| Pearl Barley | 10 | — | — |
| Cornflour | 10 | — | — |
| Oatmeal | 10 | - | — |
| Lard | 9 | - | - |
| Spirits | 7 | - | — |
| Flour | 6 | - | — |
| Lime Juice Cordial | 6 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Glycerine | 4 | — | — |
| Wines | 4 | — | — |
| Beer | 3 | — | — |
| Cheese | 2 | — | — |
| Marmalade | 1 | — | — |
| Sal Volatile | 1 | — | — |
| Sweet Spirits of Nitre | 1 | — | — |
| Eucalyptus Oil | 1 | — | — |
| Juniper Oil | 1 | — | — |
| Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine | 1 | — | — |
| Bread | 1 | — | — |
| Pressed Beef | 1 | - | - |
| 601 | 61 | 10.1 |
* Including 39 taken at Paddington (G.W.R.) Terminus in course of delivery: 19 adulterated.
Of the 259 samples of milk 39 were taken at the Paddington Terminus in the course of
transit, under contract, at the request of the consignees. As in most instances private analyses
had disclosed the unsatisfactory character of the milk being consigned, it is not surprising to
find that 19 out of the 39 station samples were adulterated, equivalent to 48'7 per cent., as
compared with 50 per cent. in 1912. It is somewhat curious how the proportion of station