Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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ANALYTICAL WORK. 77
UNSOUND AND DISEASED FOOD.
In addition to the small quantity of flesh food dealt with at the time of killing and destroyed
at the slaughterhouses, 6,952 lbs. of food-stuffs were condemned and destroyed last year, as
compared with 1,401 lbs. in 1913 and 10,109 lbs. in 1912. There were no prosecutions
Food-stuffs Destroyed, 1914.
Meat (Butchers' shops) :—Pork, 7 lbs.; Sheeps' livers, 9 lbs.
Fish:—Dog fish, 100 lbs.; Plaice, 28 lbs.; Haddocks, 140 lbs. ; Kippers, 12 lbs.
Fruit, &c.:—Onions, 86 lbs.; Oranges, 80 lbs.; Cherries, 60lbs.; Strawberries, 40lbs,; Peaches,
10 lbs.; Apricots, 5 lbs.; Greengages, 30 lbs.; Raspberries, 26 lbs.; Currants, 5lbs.; Melons, 30 lbs.;
Mushrooms, 6 lbs.; Lettuce, 60 lbs.
Summary.
Meat 16 lbs. Per G.W.R. Co.:—
Fish 280 „ Pig 70 lbs.
Fruit, &c. 438 ,, Bacon 448 ,,
Fowls 20 ,,
Cabbages 4,368 „
4,906 „
Discovered in a private house after the death of the occupier:—
Lentils 112 lbs. Tinned Sardines 80 lbs.
Oats 256 „ ,, Salmon 2 „
Macaroni 70 „ „ Peaches 2 „
Green Peas 100 „ Infants' Food 70 „
Ox Tongues 120 ,,
Tinned Milk 450 ,, Total 1,312 „
Bombay Duck 50 ,,
ANALYTICAL WORK.
Food Adulteration.—Last year the samples submitted to the Public Analyst numbered
600, of which 58 were found to be adulterated. The numbers of adulterated samples in 1913
and 1912 were 61 and 43 respectively. The proportion of samples found to be adulterated in
each of the last six years is shown below.
Percentage of total Samples adulterated.
1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1909-13. 1914.
8.6 9.0 8.3 17.4 10.1 10.7 9.6
Table 48 contains a complete list of the samples taken during the year.
Of the 281 samples of milk, 66 were taken at the Paddington Terminus in the course of
transit, under contract, at the request of the consignees. Sixteen of the Station samples were
found to be adulterated, equivalent to 24.2 per cent., as compared with 48.7 per cent. in 1913 and
50 per cent. in 1912.
Station Samples.
Percentage adulterated.
1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1909-13. 1914.
24.3 14.9 19.1 50.0 48.7 32.4 24.2
Samples are taken at irregular intervals on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Last year 58
samples were taken (48 on Sundays and 10 on Bank Holidays), 2 of which (4T per cent.) were
reported to be adulterated. In 1913 the proportion was 6.7 per cent. Excluding the samples
taken at the Railway Terminus the proportion of adulterated samples of milk obtained in the
Borough was 3.6 per cent., as compared with 6.1 per cent. in 1913. Of the 316 samples other
than milk, 34 (equal to 10.8 per cent.) were adulterated.