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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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Bacteriological Examination
In addition to the samples of food submitted to the Public Analyst for chemical
examination, 222 samples were taken by the Council's Pood Inspectors and submitted
to the Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, for bacteriological examination,
as follows:-
(a) Milk
115 samples were subjected to the phosphatase test which indicates the
efficiency of the method of heat treatment, and the methylene blue test which indicates
the keeping quality of the milk.
Details of the samples are given in the following table:-
| T.T. (Past.) | Past | Ster. | Totals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | |
| Hospitals | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | 12 | - |
| L.C.C. schools and institutions | - | - | 55 | 1 | - | - | 55 | 1 |
| Day nurseries | 1 | - | 8 | - | - | - | 9 | - |
| Distributors | 20 | - | 11 | 3 | 4 | - | 35 | 3 |
| Totals | 21 | - | 86 | 4 | 4 | - | 111 | 4 |
(b) Ice-cream
71 samples were taken, mostly from manufacturers, of which 62 reached grades
1 or 2 when subjected to the methylene blue test.
The following table shows the detailed results of these examinations for the year 1964 and preceding years:-
| 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samples | % | Samples | % | Samples | % | Samples | % | Samples | % | |
| Satisfactory- | ||||||||||
| Grade I | 26 | 65.0 | 29 | 54.7 | 73 | 65.0 | 61 | 61.3 | 46 | 64.8 |
| Grade II | 10 | 25.0 | 8 | 15.1 | 20 | 25.0 | 19 | 19.2 | 16 | 22.5 |
| Unsatisfactory- | ||||||||||
| Grade III | 2 | 5.0 | 7 | 13.2 | 12 | 11.0 | 9 | 9.2 | 4 | 5.3 |
| Grade IV | 2 | 5.0 | 9 | 17.0 | 4 | 3.6 | 10 | 10.3 | 5 | 7.4 |
| Totals | 40 | 100.0 | 53 | 100.0 | 109 | [00.0 | 99 | 100.0 | 71 | 100.0 |
(c) Synthetic cream etc.
36 other samples were taken, consisting of liquid egg, synthetic cream, corned
beef, meat pies, cream sponge and gripe water; all proved satisfactory.
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