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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271
[1908
The following is a record of the adulteration of milk in Islington since 1892:—
MILK ADULTERATION.
| Samples Analysed. | Genuine. | Adultrated. | Per cent. Adultrated. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 171 | 139 | 32 | 18.7 |
| 1893 | 213 | 173 | 40 | 18.7 |
| 1894 | 206 | 169 | 37 | 17.9 |
| 1895 | 413 | 343 | 70 | 16.9 |
| 1896 | 468 | 418 | 50 | 10.6 |
| 1897 | 513 | 464 | 49 | 9.5 |
| 1898 | 543 | 492 | 51 | 9.4 |
| 1899 | 532 | 477 | 55 | 10.3 |
| 1900 | 541 | 485 | 56 | 10.3 |
| 1901 | 632 | 536 | 76 | 12.0 |
| 1902 | 586 | 528 | 58 | 9.9 |
| 1903 | 508 | 458 | 50 | 9.8 |
| 1904 | 600 | 553 | 47 | 7.8 |
| 1905 | 594 | 549 | 45 | 7.6 |
| 1906 | 634 | 560 | 74 | 11.8 |
| 1907 | 597 | 557 | 40 | 6.7 |
| 1908 | 604 | 552 | 52 | 8.6 |
| Totals | 8,355 | 7,473 | 882 | 10.5 |
The Quality of the Milk.— The average quality of the 601 milks
was good, as the analyses showed that the average percentage of fat was 3.7,
and the average percentage of solids not fat 8.6. It must not be forgotten that
these percentages included 52 milks which were returned by 1 he Public Analyst
as adulterated, besides many that were just below the standard, but which were
too near it to risk proceedings, even if the Courts would grant summonses, for it
is only in exceptional cases that they do so, when the percentage of adulteration
is less than 5.0.
The milks procured at Finsbury Park as they arrived from the farm gave
higher percentages of fat than those afterwards purchased from milk purveyors
in the borough, namely 3.88 per cent., as compared with 3.52 per cent. for the
milks purchased on week days and 3.69 per cent. for milks purchased on
Sundays.
These percentages are all considerably higher than the official standard,
which is 3 per cent.
The results of the analyses during the year were as follow:—
| Obtained | No. of Samples. Analysed. | Average Percentage of Fat. | Average Percentage of Solids, not Fat. | Average Percentage of Total Solids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Sundays | 160 | 3.69 | 8.58 | 12.27 |
| On Weekdays | 324 | 3.52 | 8.58 | 12.10 |
| At Railway Stations | 120 | 3.88 | 8.73 | 12.61 |