London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Wandsworth 1953

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]

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34 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1953

The following table gives a summary of the results:—

Methylene Blue Reduction TestColiform Test
Provisional GradeNumber of SamplesColiform in l/10th ml. (nonfaecal)Number of Samples
133Bacillus coli—absent40
24„ „ —present0
31
40
Total38Total40

In addition, one sample of ice loliie was submitted to the coliform
and methylene blue reduction tests. Bacillus coli was not isolated and
provisional grading was grade 1.
Others
The remaining miscellaneous samples were all reported free of
pathogenic organisms.
Analysis of Food and Drugs
During the year 1,000 samples of foods and drugs were procured
for analysis: 265 samples of milk, 638 other foodstuffs and 97 drugs.
Of these 251 were submitted as formal samples while 749 were
purchased informally. None of the formal samples, and 2.0
per cent. of the informal samples, were found to be adulterated or
not up to standard. The total adulterations reported were 15 or
1.5 per cent. of the samples submitted.
The 15 samples found to be adulterated were:—
three samples of tomato ketchup, two of icecream and one
each of butter, cakeoma, fizz powder, peppermint flavour,
canned beans, fish powder, canned sliced apples, soused
herrings, bread, and lemonade powder.
It was not necessary to take Police Court proceedings in any of
the above cases of adulterated samples.