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 1889
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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BEPORT
of the public analyst on the work
done under the sale of food and
DRUGS ACT DURING THE YEAR 1889.
To the Wandsworth District Board ok Works.
Gentlemen,
In accordance with the annual custom, I beg to
furnish you with a report upon the work done under the
provisions of the sale of Food and Drugs Act during
the year 1889.
The total number of samples submitted by the
Inspector was 19X, out of which 26 were condemned as
adulterated, thus showing that 13 per cent of the whole of
the articles examined were found to be bad. The samples
brought in were sufficiently varied, and the selection
made showed that Inspector Smith had applied his long
experience of the work under the Act to the best
advantage and that he had performed his duties in a
perfectly satisfactory manner.
The only articles that were found to have been subjected to sophistication were milk, butter, coffee, and olive oil, and the results may be shortly summarised as follows:—
| Nature ot Article. | Samples submitted. | Samples adulterated | Percentage. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 75 | 12 | 16.00 |
| Butter | 26 | 5 | 19.23 |
| Coffee | 27 | 3 | 11.11 |
| Pepper | 20 | 3 | 16.00 |
| Olive Oil | 3 | 3 | 100.00 |
| Various other articles found to be pure | 47 | 0 | |
| Total | 198 | 26 |