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 1953

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]

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14
to the wholesalers under Ministry of Food supervision and 827 lbs. of chocolate couverture made from the infected
milk was held to be unfit for human consumption and destroyed. The other five barrels had been used to make ice
cream. A sample of this ice cream was negative, due to the heat treatment of the mix during the process of manufacture.
Also during July an outbreak of food poisoning occurred in a hospital in the Borough involving 25 cases. The
agent was salmonella typhimurium, but it was not possible to establish the source of the infection.

Table: The following table gives a summary of the corrected cases of food poisoning or suspected food poisoning notified during the year:—

The following table gives a summary of the corrected cases of food poisoning or suspected food poisoning notified during the year:—

Number of corrected cases107 (38)
Outbreaks due to identified agents.—
Total outbreaks3 (—)
Total cases31 (—)
Outbreaks due to—
Chemical poisons— (—)
Salmonella organisms1 (—)
Staphylococci2 (—)
Cl. botulinum— (—)
Other bacteria— (—)
Outbreaks of undiscovered cause—
Total outbreaks— (1)
Total cases—(4)
Single cases—
Agents identified6 (3)
Unknown cause70 (31)

Table: Sampling.—The following table gives details of the 600 (551) samples submitted to the Public Analyst during the year:—

Sampling.—The following table gives details of the 600 (551) samples submitted to the Public Analyst during the year:—

Number ExaminedNumber AdulteratedNumber ExaminedNumber Adulterated
FormalInformalFor malInformalFormalInformalFormalInformal
Ale3Evaporated milk—4——
Almond paste—1——Faggots— —1——
Almonds, ground—3——Fishcakes—1——
Almonds, salted—1——Fish, canned—3——
Aspirin tablets—3——Fish paste—8——
Bacon—2——Fish, potted—1——
Beef extract—2——Fish sauce—1——
Bicarbonate of soda—2——Flavouring essence—4——
Blancmange powder—1——Flour—3——
Boracic acid—2——Foam crystals—1——
Bouillon—1_—French dressing—1——
Brawn—1——Fruit, bottled—4——
Bread—16——Fruit, canned—11——
Butter—2——Fruit, dried—9——
Cakes—1——Fruit, glace—2——
Calomine lotion—2——Fruit juice—1——
Camphorated oil—1——Fruit pie—1——
Cheese—8——Gelatine—1——
Cinnamon essence—1——Glucose—1——
Cockles, bottled—1——Guava curd—1——
Coconut, dessicated—2——Halibut liver oil—1——
Codeine tablets—1——Halva—1——
Coffee—1——Ham—3——
Coffee essence—3——Ham, canned—1——
Colouring—1——Ham, potted—1——
Cooking fat—2——Haslet—1——
Cordial—5——Herrings in aspic—1——
Cough mixture—13——Honey—i——
Cottage pie, canned—1——Hydrogen peroxide—2——
Cream, bottled—1——Ice-cream—19——
Cream, canned—6——Ice lollies—8——
Cream of tartar—1——Indigestion mixture—1——
Cucumber, bottled—1——Iodine—5——
Curry powder—1——Jam—9——
Dessert powder—1——Jellied veal—2——
Dripping—2——Jelly—1——