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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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115
Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928.
Analysis of Milk Samples.—The percentage of adulterated samples
since 1926 is given in Table LXXX below, together with the results of the
samples taken in each of the two districts of the City during 1936:—
The legal minimum standards for milk fat and non-fatty solids as
laid down in the Sale of Milk Regulations, 1901, are 3 per cent. and 8.5
per cent. respectively.
Grades of quality for milk have been set up by the analysts
according to the percentage of milk fat. They are:—
Good quality: Over 3.8 per cent. of fat.
Fair quality: Between 3.3 per cent. and 3.8 per cent.
Poor quality: Between 3 per cent. and 3.3 per cent.
Table LXXX.—Analysis of Milk Samples.
| District. | Total. | Good Quality. | Fair Quality. | Poor Quality. | Adulterated. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Percent. | No. | Percent. | No. | Percent. | No. | Percent. | ||
| North | 477 | 82 | 17.2 | 340 | 71.3 | 51 | 10.7 | 4 | 0.8 |
| South | 461 | 129 | 28.0 | 291 | 63.1 | 38 | 8.2 | 3 | 0.7 |
| 1936 | 938 | 211 | 22.5 | 631 | 67.3 | 89 | 9.5 | 7 | 0.8 |
| 1935 | 909 | 228 | 25.1 | 605 | 66.5 | 70 | 7.7 | 6 | 0.7 |
| 1934 | 887 | 226 | 25.5 | 580 | 65.5 | 69 | 7.7 | 12 | 1.3 |
| 1933 | 907 | 221 | 24.4 | 596 | 65.6 | 79 | 8.8 | 11 | 1.2 |
| 1932 | 921 | 452 | 49.1 | 426 | 46.2 | 35 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.8 |
| 1931 | 910 | 582 | 63.9 | 285 | 31.3 | 39 | 4.2 | 4 | 0.4 |
| 1930 | 910 | 396 | 43.5 | 431 | 47.3 | 62 | 6.8 | 21 | 2.3 |
| 1929 | 867 | 323 | 37.2 | 422 | 48.6 | 79 | 9.1 | 53 | 6.1 |
| 1928 | 904 | 410 | 45.3 | 373 | 41.2 | 101 | 11.1 | 20 | 2.2 |
| 1927 | 944 | 511 | 54.1 | 345 | 36.5 | 71 | 7.5 | 17 | 1.8 |
| 1926 | 910 | 502 | 55.1 | 298 | 32.7 | 100 | 10.9 | 10 | 1.0 |
Of the total of 938 samples of milk taken during the year, 76 were
taken on Sundays. None of these proved to be adulterated. The
action taken in regard to adulterated samples of milk is shown below:—
Adulterated Samples of Milk.
Sample
No. Action taken.
N 214. Was 57.3 per cent. deficient in fat.
Summons dismissed under Probation of Offenders Act on
payment of £5 5s. costs.
N 325. Was 20 per cent. deficient in fat.
Summons dismissed under Probation of Offenders Act on
payment of £5 5s. costs.
(8342) B 2