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 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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54
(b) Ice Cream
178 samples of ice cream were submitted for bacteriological examination, of which
133 reached grades 1 or 2 when subjected to the methylene blue reduction test. The improvement
secured during previous years has therefore been maintained.
Where unsatisfactory samples of ice cream were manufactured outside the Borough
the Medical Officer of Health of the appropriate area was informed to enable him to investigate
the conditions under which the commodity was produced.
The following table shows the detailed results of the bacteriological examination of ice cream samples during the year and preceding years :—
| — | 1948 | 1949 | 1960 | 1951 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samples | % | Samples | % | Samples | % | Samples | % | ||
| Satisfactory | Grade I | 75 | 41.7 | 59 | 32.4 | 59 | 44.7 | 86 | 48.31 |
| Grade II | 38 | 21.1 | 52 | 29.0 | 40 | 30.3 | 47 | 26.41 | |
| Unsatisfactor | Grade III | 31 | 17.2 | 44 | 24.6 | 15 | 11.4 | 26 | 14.61 |
| Grade IV | 36 | 20.0 | 25 | 14.0 | 18 | 13.6 | 19 | 10.67 | |
| Totals | 180 | 100.0 | 180 | 100.0 | 132 | 100.0 | 178 | 100.00 | |
(c) Synthetic cream.
36 samples of synthetic bakery filling cream were examined, of which all but three were
reported to be satisfactory from a bacteriological point of view.
(d) Other commodities.
There were also eight other samples, all of which were satisfactory.
Legal Proceedings.
The following seven prosecutions were undertaken during 1951 under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938 :—
| Court and Date of Hearing. | Offence. | Result of Proceedings. |
|---|---|---|
| Marylebone 9.2.51 | Rivet in a sliced loaf of bread | Fine £15. Costs £10 10s. |
| Marvlebone 20.3.51 | Screw in a loaf of bread | Fine £3. |
| Clerkenwell 21.3.51 | Pork sausages deficient in meat 20 per cent. | Fine £5. Costs £3 3s. |
| Clerkenwell 30.3.51 | Beef sausages deficient in meat 30 per cent. | Costs £1 1s. |
| Marylebone 26.4.51 | Beef sausages deficient in meat 28 per cent. | Fine £2. Costs £2 2s. |
| Marylebone 3.5.51 | Malt vinegar deficient in acetic acid 3i per cent. | Fine £5. Costs £5 5s. |
| Clerkenwell 9.7.51 | Bottles of milk containing fragments of glass | Fine £10. Costs £5 5s. |