London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Poplar 1909
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
145
FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS
Result of Analyses; Legal Proceedings; Preservatives in Butter;
Proposed Issuing of Regulations under Section 4 of the
Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, with regard to Cheese;
Proposed Amendment of Sale of Food and Drugs Acts as to
Warranties in the case of Milk.
The results of the analyses of 369 samples were reported to the Committee during the year 1909, the samples being as follows:—
| Sample. | 1st Quarter. | 2nd Quarter. | 3rd Quarter. | 4th Quarter. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 41 | 47 | 43 | 40 | 171* |
| Butter | 31 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 132 |
| Margarine | .. | .. | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Lard | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Cocoa | 6 | 2 | 6 | 16 | |
| Coffee | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | |
| Flour | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Mustard | .. | 1 | .. | .. | 1 |
| Pepper | .. | 1 | .. | .. | 1 |
| Vinegar | 1 | 1 | 1 | .. | 3 |
| Demerara Sugar | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | 2 |
| Golden Syrup | .. | .. | 1 | .. | 1 |
| Cod Liver Oil | .. | 1 | .. | .. | 1 |
| Olive Oil | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | 2 |
| Glycerine | l | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Limewater | l | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Cream of Tartar | .. | .. | 1 | .. | 1 |
| Saffron | .. | .. | l | .. | 1 |
| Liquorice Powder | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 2 |
| Spirit of Nitre | l | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Paregoric | l | .. | .. | .. | 1 |
| Ammoniated Tincture of Quinine | l | .. | l | .. | 2 |
| Camphorated Oil | .. | .. | l | 1 | 2 |
| Mercury Ointment | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 |
| Soap Liniment | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 |
| Gregory's Powder | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 |
| Grey Powder | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 93 | 91 | 93 | 92 | 369 |
* Of the 171 samples of milk, 62 samples were procured for the most
part on Sundays from itinerant vendors. Five samples (8-0 per cent.)
were found to be adulterated, and legal proceedings were instituted
in each instance against the itinerant vendor. In 18 instances samples
were taken on delivery at institutions within the Borough—viz., 3 Poplar
Union, 1 Guardians Out-Relief, Upper North Street, 5 Sick Asylum, 4
Blackwall Sick Asylum, and 5 Stepney Union Workhouse. All the
samples were genuine.