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

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London County Council 1934

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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62
under contract to the Council's specifications, where chemical analysis is essential
to ensure that the quality of the goods delivered is equal to that specified. In
addition, analysis is made of samples of air, foods, etc., materials which have
failed in use, and other matters arising out of the Council's undertakings. A considerable
number of samples have been examined in connection with the Petroleum
Act, 1928, and the Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926.
An important part of the work of the branch consists of the consideration of,
and giving advice on, matters involving scientific questions in connection with the
various branches of the Council's work.
Examination
of samples.
The total number of samples examined in 1934 amounted to 9,873. The
following table shows their classification :—
Air (from tunnels) 299
Asphalt 45
Building materials 101
Calculi 22
Coal, coke and ash 43
Cement 254
Chemicals 18
Disinfectants 19
Driers 31
Drugs and medical stores 864
Dust (atmospheric pollution) 60
Enamelware 236
Fertilisers and feeding stuffs 255
Floor oils and polishes 37
Food (suspected poisoning) 40
Foods—
Bacon 49
Baking and egg substitute powders54
Beef extraots 100
Cakes, biscuits, bread 90
Cereals 13
Cheese 54
Cocoa 14
Dripping 10
Flavouring essences 24
Fish 131
Fish, tinned 15
Flour 72
Jam 10
Margarine 111
Miscellaneous foodstuffs 70
Mustard 9
Pickles 19
Preserved meats 84
Sugar 101
Syrup and treacle 32
Vinegar 37
Yeast 34
— 1,133
Gas-—Dry cleaners 61
Greases 13
Hospital equipment 38
Ink 20
Insecticides 25
Lamps, Gas detector 53
Meals 42
Metals—
Solder 13 28
Various 15
Milk, condensed 10
„ schools and institutions 249
„ (cream) tinned 2
Oils-
Fuel 8
Lighting 27
Lubricating 127
Painting 28
Miscellaneous 17
Oilman's sundries 19
Paints, stains 622
Petroleum (Petroleum Act, 1928) 80
Rainwater, etc. (atmospheric pollution) 108
Rubber 22
Sewage 56
Soap and soap powders 84
Sulphur determinations (air) 1,706
Turpentine and turpentine substitute 31
Urine 1,453
Varnish 30
Water, boiler 697
„ river 412
„ drinking (from wells) 200
„ and deposit (in leakage) 16
„ various 6
„ open-air baths 32
Miscellaneous 94
Of 652 paints, colours and varnishes examined, 542 were found to be satisfactory,
50 were of satisfactory composition but unsuitable for the particular work for which
they were required and 60 were unsatisfactory.
Observations are being made to ascertain the effects of the London atmosphere
on paints of varying compositions, and also to what extent this is dependent on the
medium used.

The following table shows the classification and the results of the analyses of oils :—

Satisfactory.Unsatisfactory.
Fuel8
Lighting27-
Lubricating10621
Painting271
Miscellaneous17