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 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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42
Milk
The 18 samples of milk submitted to the turbidity test were
reported to be satisfactory.
Cream
The two samples were submitted for tests in respect of brucella
abortus and salmonella but no organisms were isolated.
Ice-cream
The 138 samples of ice-cream were examined at the Public
Health Laboratory by the methylene-blue test. The grading is
determined by the length of time taken to decolourize the methylene-blue,
grade 1 indicating the highest standard bacteriologically.
The following table gives a summary of the results : —
| Grade | Number of Samples |
|---|---|
| 1 | 58 |
| 2 | 19 |
| 3 | 16 |
| 4 | 45 |
| Total | 138 |
Miscellaneous
The fourteen miscellaneous food samples proved to be free from
pathogenic organisms.
Analysis of food and drugs
During the year 1,000 samples of food and drugs were submitted
for analysis; 100 samples of milk, 824 other foodstuffs
and 76 drugs. Of these 13 were submitted as formal samples,
while 987 were purchased informally. Two of the formal samples
and 91 of the informal samples were found to be adulterated or
below standard, representing 9.3 per cent, of the total samples
submitted.
Details of these 93 samples are given in the Report on the
work of the Public Analyst which follows.