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
Islington 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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267 [1908
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| Samples taken. | Adulterated. | Percentage. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrous Ether | 4 | 1 | 25.0 |
| Nux Vomica | 1 | — | — |
| Oil of Almonds | 1 | — | — |
| Oil of Turpentine | 5 | — | — |
| Ointment | 4 | 3 | 75.0 |
| Opium, Tincture of | 8 | - | - |
| Pills (Iron) | 23 | 6 | 26.0 |
| Prescriptions | 24 | 6 | 25.0 |
| Quinine Tincture | 3 | — | - |
| Quinine Wine | 11 | — | — |
| Quinine, Sulphate of | 8 | — | — |
| Rhubarb, Tincture of | 46 | 7 | 15.2 |
| Sal Volatile | 6 | - | - |
| Saltpetre | 1 | — | — |
| Soap Liniment | 5 | 4 | 80.0 |
| Strych. Hydr. Sol. | 2 | — | — |
| Sulphur, Precipitated | 37 | — | — |
| Squills, Tincture of | 2 | — | — |
| Sweet Spirits of Nitre | 27 | 5 | 18.5 |
| Tartaric Acid | 3 | 3 | 100.0 |
| Yellow Wax | 7 | 6 | 85.7 |
| Zinc Ointment | 3 | — | — |
| 719 | 96 | 13.3 |
Thus it is seen here that there are many articles which it seems almost a
waste of time, energy, and money to sample. Nevertheless, some of them if not
analysed would soon be adulterated as they had been in former days. It is
therefore, very necessary to sample them occasionally, if only to let the manufacturers
and chemists see that they have not been forgotten.
| Examined. | Genuine. | Adulterated. | Per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | 302 | 280 | 22 | 7.3 |
| 2nd „ | 296 | 268 | 28 | 9.5 |
| 3rd „ | 301 | 257 | 44 | 14.6 |
| 4th ,, | 301 | 253 | 48 | 15.9 |
| The Year | 1,200 | 1,058 | 142 | 11.8 |
This is the highest percentage of adulteration attained since 1903, the proportions
in the intervening years being 8.5 per cent. (1904), 8.2 (1905), 9.3 (1906)
and 6.7 (1907).
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