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 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Table III. Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
| Number. | Article of Food. | Number of samples purchased. | Genuine. (Inferior In brackets.) | Adulterated. | Prosecutions. | Convictions. | Withdrawn or dismissed. | Fines. | Costs. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||||||||
| 1 | Milk | 970 | 889 (64) | 17 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2 | Do. separated | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Cream | 74 | 72 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | ||
| 4 | Do. (preserved) | 68 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 5 | Do. cheese | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 6 | Butter | 145 | 144 (1) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 7 | Buttered rolls | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 8 | Tea | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 9 | Cakes | 27 | 25 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 10 | Mincemeat | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 11 | Marmalade | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 12 | Meat pies (various) | 55 | 45 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 13 | Sausages | 75 | 62 | 13 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | ||
| 14 | Meat and Fish Paste (various) | 60 | 56 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 15 | Brawn | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 16 | Galantine | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 17 | Suet (chopped) | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 18 | Asparagus | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 19 | Olives | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 20 | Peas | 30 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 21 | Beans | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 22 | Spinach | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Tomatoes | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 24 | Apples | 6 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 25 | Lemon squash | 7 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 26 | Do. Syrup | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 27 | Fruit juices | 5 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 28 | Lime juice | 6 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 29 | Beer | 26 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 30 | Whiskey | 143 | 112 | 31 | 14 | 14 | — | 27 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Brandy | 20 | 18 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 32 | Rum | 39 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 33 | Gin | 16 | 11 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Totals | 1,800 | 1,595 (65) | 140 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 46 | 15 | 0 | 78 | 16 | 0 | |
The following list shows in detail the results of analysis of individual
samples other than milk, cream and spirits, which were adulterated and
the decision taken in each with the result of any legal proceedings
ordered by the Council:—
Apples.—6 samples were taken and found to contain arsenic in the following
quantities:—1/180, 1/500, 1/500, 1/900, and 1/1000 grain per lb., the remaining sample had 1 part
of arsenic per 2 million parts of apple. A special note, on this subject, is made below.