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
City of London 1901
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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94
SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.
t
In April, 1901, Dr. Teed was appointed Public Analyst for the City, and
the new system at once allowed of proper attention being given to this
important department.
The amount of adulteration has been found by experience to be to a great
extent dependent upon the risk of detection, and the severity of punishment
on conviction.
Wherever the Acts are carried out strictly, it is also found that the
proportion of articles found to be sophisticated rapidly falls.
The Act requires to be carried out with the greatest care, in every detail,
at every stage, and the slightest mistake or omission may lead to a summons
being dismissed. It was therefore deemed expedient to entrust the working
of the Acts, so far as the obtaining samples and preparation of evidence for the
Solicitor is concerned, to one individual, and Mr. W. H. May was accordingly
charged with this duty.
His work is carried out under the instructions of your Medical Officer on
a carefully arranged system. Special attention has been, in the first place,
directed to the two important articles of milk and butter, which, while being
the two most liable to sophistication, are also those in which adulteration is the
most dangerous to the health of the community.
It is only necessary for me to summarise with a few short notes the results
which are periodically submitted to you by your Public Analyst.
The total number of samples taken during the year was 854, of which 742
were found to be genuine and 112 adulterated, equals 13.11 per cent.
adulteration.
The number of milk samples taken 392
Found genuine 209
Found adulterated 83
Equals 21 per cent, adulteration.
The number of butter samples 238 •
Found genuine 224
Found adulterated 14
Equals 5.8 per cent. adulteration.
The following Table shows the total number of samples in each Quarter
(the first two Quarters being taken together), together with the results and
percentage of adulteration :—
MONTHLY FISH RETURNS, 1901.
Table showing Weight of Fish Delivered, Fish seized as Unsound, and percentage of Fish Condemned to that Delivered, at or
| Month. | Weight of Fish Delivered.* | Total. | Weight of Fish Condemned. | Ratio of Fish Condemned to that Delivered. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Land. | By Water. | ||||||||
| January | Tons. 12,189 | Tons. 2,340 | Tons. 14,529 | Tons. 10 | cwt. 18 | qrs. 3 | 1 in 1,328 tons, or '075 per cent. | ||
| February | 13,926 | 2,731 | 16,657 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 „ 1,651 | ,, | .061 „ |
| March | 15,960 | 3,004 | 18,964 | 24 | 19 | 0 | 1 „ 760 | „ | .131 „ |
| April | 12,129 | 3,184 | 15,313 | 137 | 7 | 1 | 1 „ 111 | „ | .897 „ |
| May | 14,671 | 4,016 | 18,687 | 86 | 15 | 3 | 1 „ 215 | „ | .465 „ |
| June | 18,005 | 3,193 | 16,198 | 65 | 11 | 1 | 1 „ 247 | „ | .405 „ |
| July | 12,252 | 4,096 | 16,348 | 197 | 9 | 0 | 1 „ 83 | „ | 1.208 „ |
| August | -14,307 | 3,674 | 17,981 | 117 | 18 | 0 | 1 „ 152 | „ | .656 „ |
| September | 13,083 | 3,903 | 16,986 | 88 | 19 | 2 | 1 „ 191 | „ | .524 „ |
| October | 12,918 | 3,918 | 16,836 | 93 | 15 | 3 | 1 „ 179 | „ | .557 „ |
| November | 11,853 | 2,814 | 14,667 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 1 „ 455 | „ | .220 „ |
| December | 10,779 | 2,245 | 13,024 | 22 | 16 | 0 | 1 „ 572 | „ | .175 „ |
| Total | 157,072 | 39,118 | 196,190 | 16 | 1 | 1 in 220 tons, or .456 per cent. | |||
| * Compiled from the Monthly Returns furnished to the Corporation by the Fishmongers' Company. | |||||||||
Weight of Fish Delivered, Fish seized as Unsound, and percentage of Fish Condemned to that Delivered, at or near Billingsgate Market during 1901 and the five years 1896-7-8-9-1900.
| Year. | Weight of Fish Delivered. | Total. | Weight of Fish Condemned. | Ratio of Fish Condemned to that Delivered. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Land. | By Water. | ||||||
| Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons | cwts. | qrs. | ||
| 1896 | 134,479 | 39,212 | 173,691 | 1,211 | 13 | 2 | 1 ton in 144 tons, or .70% |
| 1897 | 130,975 | 44,276 | 175,251 | 958 | 12 | 0 | 1 „ 183 „ .55 „ |
| 1898 | 135,093 | 46,874 | 182,567 | 1,068 | 5 | 0 | 1 „ 170 „ .59 „ |
| 1899 | 129,469 | 50,514 | 179,983 | 750 | 0 | 2 | 1 „ 240 „ .42 „ |
| 1900 | '149,615 | 38,069 | 187,684 | 769 | 13 | 3 | 1 „ 244 „ .41 „ |
| Average (5 years) | 136,046 | 43,789 | 179,835 | 951 | 13 | 0 | 1 ton in 189 tons, or .53% |
| 1901 | 157,072 | 39,118 | 196,190 | 888 | 16 | 1 | 1 ton in 220 tons, or .45% |