London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
This page requires JavaScript
116
Of the samples purchased formally, 42 were found to be sophisticated, which
represents a percentage of 4.6.
A summary of the Quarterly Report of all Samples examined by the Public
Analyst including those taken in accordance with the Act and otherwise, and the
percentage of adulteration of each separate article, is given on pages 122 and 123.
A comparison of the percentage of adulteration of samples taken ten years ago
and in the present year is of interest as showing the decrease which has taken place in
that period. The percentage in 1903 was 8.3, as against 4.6 in the present year. Even
this low figure does not constitute a record for the City, but if the samples taken under
the Milk and Cream Regulations are excluded, all of which have been regarded as
adulterated samples, the percentage of the sophisticated samples is reduced to 3.3. This
particular subject is dealt with in another part of this Report.
The percentage of adulteration of samples taken in England and Wales in 1877
was 16*2 ; this percentage has been continuously reduced, and in 1912 (that is to say
the latest figures obtainable) the percentage was 8.4.
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. | ||||
| 1881 | 17,823 | 162 | .92 | 1,462 | 318 | 760 |
| 1891 | 29,028 | 169 | .42 | 999 | 227 | 580 |
| 1901 | 67,841 | 854 | 1.26 | 479 | 32 | 291 |
| 1909 | 97,985 | 1,190 | 1.31 | 330 | 15 | 202 |
| 1910 | 100,301 | 1,202 | 1.19 | 359 | 14 | 187 |
| 1911 | 103,221 | 1,209 | 1.18 | 349 | 16 | 181 |
| 1912 | 108,174 | 1,165 | 1.17 | 333 | 17 | 179 |
| * The figures in this column are based on the Imperial night census. | ||||||
MILK. The decrease in milk adulteration during 1913 (as compared with 1912) is shown by the following Table:—
| Year. | No. of Samples Examined. | Found Genuine. | Found Adulterated. | Percentage of Adulterated Samples. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 392 | 209 | 83 | 81.2 |
| 1902 | 599 | 519 | 80 | 13.3 |
| 1903 | 517 | 457 | 60 | 11.6 |
| 1904 | 452 | 417 | 35 | 7.7 |
| 1905 | 481 | 445 | 36 | 7.5 |
| 1906 | 556 | 513 | 43 | 7.7 |
| 1907 | 472 | 432 | 40 | 8.4 |
| 1908 | 469 | 440 | 29 | 6.2 |
| 1909 | 520 | 495 | 25 | 4.8 |
| 1910 | 474 | 454 | 20 | 4.2 |
| 1911 | 453 | 438 | 15 | 3.3 |
| 1912 | 481 | 462 | 19 | 3.9 |
| 1913 | 398 | 385 | 13 | 3.2 |