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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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Formal and Informal Samples Submitted for Analysis.
| Article. | Number Examined. | Number Adulterated, etc. | Percentage of Adulteration. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal. | Informal. | Total. | Formal. | Informal. | Total. | Formal. | Informal. Total. | ||
| Bread | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Butter | 2 | 12 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Butter (on bread) | — | 11 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cheese | — | 22 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Cocoa | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Confectionery | — | 49 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cream | — | 19 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Flour | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Flour (Self-raising) | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jam | — | 13 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lard | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Margarine | — | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Milk | 220 | — | 220 | 14 | — | 14 | 6.3 | — | 6.3 |
| Milk, Condensed | — | 13 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mustard | — | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sugar | — | 13 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tea | — | 11 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vinegar | — | 21 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Beer | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Spirits | 29 | 4 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Drugs | 4 | 82 | 86 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 50.0 | 4.8 | 6.9 |
| Other Articles | 1 | 443 | 444 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1000 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Totals | 256 | 763 | 1,019 | 17 | 10 | 27 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 2-6 |
| Spirits— | 4 | _ | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Gin | 5 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rum | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Whisky | 18 | 4 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 29 | 4 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Drugs— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Borax. | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||
| Camphorated Oil | 1 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 100.0 | 9.0 | 16-6 |
| Easton's Syrup | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Friar's Balsam | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ginger, Ground | — | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Glycerine | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Glycerine of Borax | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Glycerine of Phenol | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Linseed, Crushed | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lozenges and Tablets | — | 14 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Magnesia, etc. | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oil, Almond | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oil, Castor | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oil, Cod Liver | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ointment, Mercury | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 50-0 | 33.3 |
| Ointment, Phenol | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | —— |
| Ointment, White Precipitate | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Ointment, Zinc | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | —2 | 1000 | 16-6 | 28.5 |
| Paraffin, Liquid | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | —— |
| Parrish's Chemical Food | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | —— |
| Carried forward. | 3 | 72 | 75 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 66-6 | 4-2 | 6-6 |
the food and drugs (adulteration) act, 1928,
the public health (preservatives, etc., in food) regulations,
the public health (condensed milk) regulations, 1923 and 1927,
the public health (dried milk) regulations, 1923 and 1927, and
the artificial cream act, 1929.