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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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107
During the year 23 samples of ice-cream were obtained for
bacteriological examination and the results as tabulated below indicate
an improvement over those of last year. This improvement may be
attributed to the policy of the Public Health Committee in requiring
efficient sterilizing apparatus and a high standard of cleanliness in the
premises and on the part of the workers. In every case where a high
bacterial count was found, together with evidence of contamination
(B. coli in .001 c.c. or less) satisfactory improvement has been attained
where these requirements have been put into force.
In the case of Sample No. S.8, which returned the highest count
during 1937, the ice-cream was manufactured in premises outside the City
and necessary particulars were accordingly communicated to the Medical
Officer of Health for the district in which the premises were situated.
| No. of Sample. | Colonies per c.c. | B. Coli per c.c. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive. | Negative. | ||
| — | —0.1 | ||
| — | —0.1 | ||
| — | —0.1 | ||
| —0.01 | |||
| —0.001 | |||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| —0.001 | |||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| —0.01 | |||
| — | |||
| —0.01 | |||
| —0.001 | |||
| — | —0.1 | ||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| — | |||
| —0.01 | |||
| — | —0.1 | ||
Where counts of over 200,000 colonies per c.c. were obtained or B. coli
was found to be present in .001 c.c. or less, the matter was taken up with
the purveyors. In each case improvements in methods of cleansing utensils
were suggested by the Inspectors and subsequent samples showed
distinctly better bacterial counts.