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 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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Unsound food.—Approximately 16 (10) tons of diseased or unsound food were surrendered for destruction.
After carefully considering all the facts in each of the following cases of food offered or exposed for sale being unfit for human consumption, the Public Health Committee instructed that cautionary letters be sent to the firms concerned:—
| 1.—Wasp found in a jar of jam. | 3.—Meat pie unfit for consumption. |
| 2.—Cut loaf found to be mouldy. | 4.—Nail in a tin of fruit pudding. |
Bacteriological examination of milk and food.—Bacteriological examinations were made of 170 (102) samples of
milk all of which complied with the tests prescribed in the Milk Regulations. Nineteen (11) of these samples were from
milk supplied to hospitals and 129 (72) from milk supplied to schools in the Borough.
Samples of ice-cream, 45 (42) in number, examined for bacterial content as prescribed in the Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations gave the following results :—
| Grade 1 | 14 (8) | Grade 3 | 14 (10) |
| Grade 2 | 8 (16) | Grade 4 | 9 (8) |
Eight (2) ice lollies were examined.
Samples of cream horns and tinned crab meat were submitted for examination in connection with food poisoning
investigations. No pathogenic organisms were found in either sample.
| 1. | Number of corrected cases | 69 | |
| 2. | Outbreaks due to identified agents | ||
| Total outbreaks 1 | Total cases | 3 | |
| 3. | Outbreaks due to:— | ||
| Chemical poisons Nil | Staphylococci | 1 | |
| Salmonella organisms Nil Other bacteria | C1. botulinum Nil | Nil | |
| 4. | Outbreaks of undiscovered cause:— | ||
| Total outbreaks Nil | Total cases | Nil | |
| 5. | Single cases:— | ||
| Agents identified 5 | Unknown cause | 61 | |
| Total | 66 | ||
There was a fatal case of food poisoning during the year. A twelve-year-old boy was taken ill and diagnosed as a
case of acute appendicitis. An operation was performed but he made an incomplete recovery and developed, after the
operation, definite signs of food poisoning. The organism causing this was identified as salmonella typhimurium. In
spite of active treatment with sulphonamides and antibiotics the boy died.
It is known that this organism is carried by mice as well as other animals, and it was thought that, as there was
some mice infestation at the boy's home, the disease may have been carried by mice. One mouse was caught while
rodent extermination work was being carried out and found to be not suffering from typhimurium infection.
We were unable to trace any food which might have carried the disease. The home was clean and the food properly
stored and prepared. The coroner certified death as due to natural causes.
Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1928.—Sections 3 and 4 of this Act are now again fully operative.
These sections deal with the marking of preserved eggs and the cold or chemical storage of eggs. No action was
necessary during the year regarding preserved eggs and there are no premises within the Borough registered for the
storage of eggs.
Merchandise Marks Act, 1926.—The Orders made under this Act were suspended during the war. This suspension
was not continued beyond the 24th May, 1951, except in the case of butter and poultry. The suspension of the Order
relating to poultry ended on the 31st December, 1951, and that relating to butter is due to end on the 24th May, 1952.
After this latter date, therefore, all the Orders relating to foodstuffs should again be fully operative.
No legal action was necessary during the year regarding the Orders then in force.
Labelling of Food Order, 1950.—A complaint was received from a trade association regarding the labels on some
bottles of claret being sold in the Borough. Upon investigation the complaint was seen to be well founded but the unsold
bottles were at once properly labelled. As there had been no intent to deceive the public no further action, other than
a formal warning, was considered necessary.