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 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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centage of coffee present, or be prohibited from making use of labels
which convey a wrong impression.
Fifteen samples of coffee and chicory essences were taken, as it bad
been stated that there was an absence of coffee in some. Analysis
showed the presence of caffein; in all but two it was in rather small
amount.
Potted Meats and Fish.—In 1906 a large number of samples were
taken.
The articles taken and number of each were:—
| No. containing Preservative. | Amount of Boric Acid Found. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 anchovies | - | - |
| 6 beef | — | — |
| 4 brawn | 3 | 9.8 grs.; 10.3 grs.; 7.2 grs. per lb. |
| 1 boar's head | — | |
| 6 herrings | 1 | 3 grs. |
| 4 herrings in tomato sauce | — | - |
| 1 herring roes | — | - |
| — | - | |
| 4 prawns | — | - |
| 1 prawns in jelly | — | - |
| 23 salmon | — | - |
| 14 sardines | — | - |
| 1 sardines and anchovies | — | - |
| 1 shrimps (peeled) | 1 | 43 grs. |
| 9 tongues | 1 | 16.1 grs. |
| — | — | |
| 1 wild duck | — | — |
| 1 anchovy | — | — |
| 7 bloater | — | — |
| 17 chicken and ham | 5 | 27.5 grs.; 26.46 grs.; 3.0 grs.; 3.9 grs.; trace. |
| 2 chicken, ham and tongue | 2 | 9 grs.; 11.9 grs. |
| 1 chicken and tongue | — | — |
| 1 ham and tongue | 1 | 14 grs. |
| 2 lobster | — | — |
| 28 salmon and shrimp | 5 | 20.44 grs.; 24.7 grs., 18.5 grs.; 19.4 grs.; 20.5 grs. |
| 3 shrimp | 2 | 2 grs.; 27.2 grs. |
| 1 turkey and ham | 1 | 33.46 grs. |
| 5 turkey and tongue | 2 | 24.78 grs.; trace. |
| 1 veal and ham | 1 | 7.4 grs. |
Apparently the ingredients were found to be as specified on labels.
In 1906, when the Council took a number of samples, very large
amounts of preservatives were found, and the manufacturers were then
communicated with. It is gratifying to note that the warning was acted
upon, and that now the presence of boric acid is practically confined to
articles containing pork or shrimps. It is also evident that most makers
of this class of goods do not now use ingredients which have been
preserved with boric acid, and if they can do so there does not seem to