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
St Pancras 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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The Inspectors made 652 visits, and 315 formal samples were taken and submitted for
analysis.
Milk (Special Designations) Regulations , 1936 to 1946. The number of licences granted during 1947 were:—
| Licences. | Supplementary. | |
|---|---|---|
| To sell Tuberculin Tested milk | 48 | 6 |
| To sell Pasteurised milk | 62 | 8 |
| To pasteurise milk | 1 | — |
Meat and Other Foods. (i)
| Periodical visits of inspection were made as follows:— | |
| Butchers' Shops and Meat Stalls | 899 |
| Prepared Meat premises | 369 |
| (ii) Inspection of other premises where food is prepared or offered for sale. | |
| The Food Inspectors have continued to keep all such premises under regular and frequent observation, the following inspections being made for this purpose:— | |
| Ice cream | 704 |
| Fishmongers | 153 |
| Fried fish | 101 |
| Others | 993 |
Food Sampling.
A total of 800 samples (402 formal and 398 informal) were sent for analysis, of which
4 formal and 10 informal were found to be adulterated.
Bacteriological Examination of Samples of Milk and Ice Cream.
In addition to the ordinary samples of food submitted to the Public Analyst for chemical
examination, I have to report that a total of 201 samples of milk and ice cream were procured
by the Food Inspectors and submitted to the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene
for bacteriological examination.
1. Milk.
A total of 100 samples of milk were taken from the London County Council schools
and institutions, day nurseries and dairies to ascertain whether they complied with the Milk
(Special Designations) Regulations, 1936 to 1946, together with the Heat Treated (Prescribed
Tests) Order, 1944. The samples were subjected to the Phosphatase Test (which indicates
the efficiency of the method of heat treatment) and the Methylene Blue Test indicating the
keeping quality of the milk. All the samples complied with the Phosphatase Test. In regard
to the Methylene Blue Test, 89 samples proved to be satisfactory and 11 unsatisfactory. The
unsatisfactory samples were taken during the hot weather months of the year. Appropriate
action was taken in each case and a "follow up" sample invariably showed that the fault
had been put right. Eleven of the above-mentioned samples were taken from the one
pasteurising plant in the borough, and all of these samples complied with the two above-mentioned
tests.