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 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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The accompanying Table has been partly compiled from the Annual Reports of the Local Government Board, to which are added some figures for the City of London, and London as a whole:—
| Year. | Total Number of Samples Examined in England and Wales. | Number Examined in the City of London. | Percentage of Total Number Examined in City of London. | Number of Persons to each Sample examined. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales. | *City of London. | London. | ||||
| .92 | ||||||
| .42 | ||||||
| 1901 | ||||||
| — | — | — | ||||
It is doubtful if this percentage will be materially reduced; milk is, and
always has been, the object of the dishonest trader's especial attention, no
doubt largely on account of the ease with which it can be deprived of a goodly
portion of its fat, or its bulk increased by the addition of water or skimmed
or separated milk. A danger always present when the adulteration takes the
form of added water is the source of the water used for the purpose of the
dilution, which is not infrequently obtained from the nearest available, and
not always sanitary, supply, even the water from Public horse troughs
being commandeered.
The extent of sophistication of milk samples was in percentages of added
water 5 to 24 per cent. ; abstracted fat from 6 to 57 per cent.; in three cases the
samples were found not only to be adulterated with added water, but were
also deficient in cream as well.
In no case was boric acid, formalin, or salicylic acid found in any milk
samples submitted to the Public Analyst.
The following Table shows the relation between place of purchase and
adulteration:—
Where Purchased.
No. of
Samples taken.
No. Adulterated.
Percentage of Samples
Adulterated.
1909.
1910.
1909.
1910.
1909.
1910.
At shop
488
435
21
13
4.3
2.9
In the street
18
16
1
—
5.5
—
During delivery
14
23
3
7
21.4
30.4
Total
520
474
25
20
4.8
4.2
An improvement is apparent in the quality of milk sold from milk barrows
in the streets, no case having been detected.