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
City of Westminster 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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| Ward. | Date of Hearing. | Court and Magistrate. | Name and Address of Defendant. | Offence. | Result. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1904 | |||||
| Victoria | 15th Jan., adjourned to 5th Feb., further adjourned to 19th Feb. | Westminster (Mr. Sheil) (Mr. Horace Smith) | Pearks, Gunston and Tee, 6, Bayer Street | Selling olive oil containing 33 per cent. of oil other than olive oil | *Case adjourned to allow the third portion to be sent to Somerset House for analysis. The Government Analyst subsequently certified that the oil contained not less than 13 per cent of oil other than olive oil. |
| * Mr. Horace Smith, in giving his decision, said, "I do not for a moment suggest that there has been a careless analysis, but possibly with the very best of analysts, in the complicated and delicate tests to be applied, there is just the possibility of mistake. I must say the evidence of Dr. Hehner would leave one in great doubt as to whether this is not an absolutely pure olive oil, and, in view of the great difference between the Public Analyst, the Government Laboratory, and Dr. Hehner, there is a doubt, and as the prosecution is in the nature of a criminal charge, I must give defendant the benefit of it; therefore I cannot convict." | Defendant called Dr. Otto Hehner, Public Analyst for West Sussex, who stated he had analysed the portion left at the shop and found it to be pure olive oil. | ||||
| The Magistrate said he could not convict. No costs allowed. | |||||
| St. Anne | 23rd June | Great Marlborough Street (Mr. Kennedy) | Henry Phillips, (trading as Bergmann Bros.), 81, Charing Cross Road | Selling olive oil containing not less than 40 per cant. of oil possessing the characters of arachis oil | Fined £5 and 12s. Gd. costs. |
| St. Anne. | 23rd June | Great Marlborough Street (Mr. Kennedy) | Guilio Varesio, 14, Moor Street | Selling olive oil containing not less than 25 per cant. of oil possessing the characters of cottonseed oil | Fined £4 and 12s. 6d. costs. |
| Almond Oil. | 1904 | ||||
| Covent Garden | 29th Dec. .. | Bow Street (Sir Albert de Rutzen) | Edward Thomas, 78, Long Acre | Selling for almond oil an oil consisting of 100 per cant. of oil other than almond oil | Fined £5 and 12s. 6d. costs. |