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 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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The following table shows the percentage of fat contained in each of the 238 samples of milk examined. Nine of this number contained fat in amounts below the point which presumes adulteration,
| Percentage of Fat. | No. of Samples. | Percentage of Fat. | No. of Samples. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | l | 4.0 | 11 |
| 2.3 | l | 4.1 | 8 |
| 2.4 | l | 4.2 | 9 |
| 2.5 | 2 | 4.3 | 6 |
| 2.6 | 2 | 4.4 | 8 |
| 2.8 | 1 | 4.5 | 6 |
| 2.9 | 1 | 4.6 | 2 |
| 3.0 | 6 | 4.7 | 1 |
| 3.1 | 12 | 4.8 | 1 |
| 3.2 | 19 | 4.9 | 1 |
| 3.3 | 20 | 5.0 | 1 |
| 3.4 | 21 | 5.3 | 1 |
| 3.5 | 24 | 5.4 | 1 |
| 3.6 | 22 | 5.5 | 1 |
| 3.7 | 17 | 6.0 | 1 |
| 3.8 | 13 | 7.1 | 1 |
| 3.9 | 15 | Total | 238 |
In the 32 cases where the percentage of fat exceeded 4 - 2 it was observed that 15 of these
samples were taken from milk vessels in shops and very probably the neglect to efficiently
plunge the milk accounted for the excessive fat content; 15 were taken from churns in
course of delivery at Railway Stations, which, of course, were thoroughly plunged previous
to the sample being taken, and one of these was from Jersey cows ; the remaining two samples
were taken in transit, where it was specially noted that the milk had not been plunged
before delivery.
Thirty-six requests were received from purveyors of milk, from whom samples of milk
had been taken, asking for samples to be procured in course of transit or delivery from the
respective suppliers, in accordance with the Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915.
PUBLIC HEALTH (MILK AND CREAM) REGULATIONS, 1912 & 1917.
During 1927, 238 samples of Milk were examined under these Regulations, and all were
found to be free from preservative.
Nine samples of cream (not preserved) were purchased, none of which was certified
to contain Boric Acid.
Ten samples of Preserved Cream were obtained and found to comply with the Regulations
as to labelling and the amount of preservative permitted.
In no instance did the fat content of Preserved Cream fall below 35 per cent.
No contravention of the other requirements relating to preserved cream was found.
All the samples of Cream and Preserved Cream were certified to be free from thickening
substances.
| (a) | (b) | |
| Number of samples examined tor the presence of Preservative. | Number in which Preservative was reported to tic present and percentage of Preservative found in each sample. | |
| Milk | 238 | None. |
| Cream | 9 | None. |
2. Cream sold as Preserved Cream.
(a) Instances in which samples have been submitted for analysis to ascertain if the
statement on the labels as to preservatives were correct.
(i.) Correct statements made 10
(ii.) Statements incorrect 0
Total 10