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

Wandsworth 1888

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]

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Table: general experience in all the surrounding districts has gone to show that, during the latter half of the year, the amount of adulteration has been everywhere on the increase.

general experience in all the surrounding districts has gone to show that, during the latter half of the year, the amount of adulteration has been everywhere on the increase.

Nature of Article submitted.Total number.Pure.Slightly impure.Impure.Per cent. of adulteration.
Milk684531022.5
Butter46380817.4
Bread and Flour3333000
Coffee3129116.4
Sugar2121000
Pepper15131113.3
Lard972022.2
Mustard99900
Tea66000
Arrowroot44000
Oatmeal44000
Sweets44000
Tapioca33000
Sago33000
Whiskey33000
Yeast22000
Pickles11000
25222572010.71

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As usual, the various dairy products head the list and
it may almost be said, that, if it were not for the dealers
in such commodities, the Public Analyst's occupation
would be almost gone. It is pretty certain that, even
now, a great number of small adulterations up to 10 per
cent, (and sometimes more), escape without detection,
because of the variable strength of such products according
to the breed of the cattle and the season of the year.
Analysts adopt a limit of strength and no sooner have
they done so, than some one discovers that certain cows
do not give an article coming up to it and so it has to be
once more reduced. As an example of this difficulty I
may mention that a certain class of butter imported from
Denmark, which, on analysis by the ordinary standard,
indicated nearly 20 per cent, of added fat, has been shown