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 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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145
In connection with the 40 cases of milk adulteration reported last
year, 30 prosecutions ensued, the offenders in the remaining 10 cases being
cautioned.
In 7, or 23.3 per cent. of the cases taken into Court the defendants successfully
pleaded the Warranty Clauses of the Food and Drugs Acts.
Twenty vendors were fined for selling either watered or skimmed milk, and
penalties imposed varying from 5s. and 17s. 6d. expenses to £5 and £l 3s. 6d.
expenses.
This relation between places of purchase and the detection of adulteration is not without interest, as shown by the following Table.
| Where taken. | No. of Samples taken. | No. Adulterated. | Percentage of Samples Adulterated. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906. | 1907. | 1906. | 1907. | 1906. | 1907. | |
| At shop | 372 | 31 | 8.3 | |||
| In the street | 81 | 5 | 6.2 | |||
| During delivery | 19 | 4 | 21.0 | |||
| Total | 132 | 40 | 8.4 | |||
The increase in the proportion of samples "taken on delivery" found to be
adulterated is due to the fact that there was a special reason in each instance
for ascertaining the history of a milk under suspicion. In some of these cases
the samples were taken at the request of a retail milkman to test the quality of
the milk supplied by farmers or wholesale dealers.
PRESERVATIVES IN MILK.
In February 1907 the Sanitary Committee referred to me for consideration
and report some resolutions with regard to this subject passed by the
Metropolitan Borough Council of Paddington.
These were as under:—
"(a) That communications be again addressed to the Local Govern"ment
Board and the Board of Agriculture urging that statutory effect
"be given to the recommendation of the Departmental Committee of
"the Local Government Board of 1901, prohibiting the use of any
"preservatives in milk.
"(6) That, in the event of the Local Government Board being unable
"to act in accordance with the foregoing resolution, regulations under
"Section 4 of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, should be made by