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
Marylebone 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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48
were withdrawn; and in two the summonses (the defendants having absconded)
were not served. At the end of the year two cases still remained to be heard.
These relate to samples of jam certified to be adulterated with apple pulp. and
are of extreme interest. They will be fully considered in the report for 1911.
Two summonses were served for offences against the provisions of the Sale
of Food and Drugs Acts. other than food adulteration. viz. : selling milk from
unlabelled cans or vehicles. A third summons. charging a vendor with selling
skimmed milk from unlabelled cans. was not served. the defendant having
absconded. With regard to this point it may be stated. that during the year a
decision was given that only separated or skimmed milk of the class condensed
need be labelled. so that in all probability the summons. if served. would have been
dismissed. Whether or not it was the intention of the legislature to limit the
necessity for labelling to "condensed" milks. is difficult to say. The matter is
one of some importance to purchasers of milk and an amendment of the law to
the extent of requiring all skimmed and separated milks to be labelled is
urgently called for.
The particulars of the cases referred to above. may be tabulated as follows.
| Sale of Food and Drugs Acts. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Results. | |||
| Situation. | Offence. | Fine. | Costs. |
| Gt. Titchfield St. | Selling skimmed milk in cans not labelled as rerequired by the Statute. | Summons — not served. Defendant absconded | . |
| Upper Rathbone P1. | Selling milk from a barrow and cans without the vendor.s name being inscribed thereon. | Convicted 1 0 0 | 2 2 0 |
| Carlisle Street | Selling milk from a barrow and cans without the vendor.s name and address being inscribed thereon. | Convicted 1 0 0 | 0 2 0 |
Special mention may be made of a sample of chocolates which. on analysis
were found to contain the acrid principle of cayenne pepper. and which were
certified by the Public Analyst to be "injurious to health." The intention of
the vendor of the sweets was. apparently. to provide children and others with
the means of perpetrating a practical joke. and the box from which they were
sold was marked "Catch of the Season Chocolates." It was felt that the
consumption of the chocolates. on account of the irritation which the cayenne
pepper was capable of producing. might be attended by risks. and that the public
should be warned against purchasing them. A summons was therefore issued
under Section 3 of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act. 1875. and at the hearing the
vendor. who admitted the offence. and gave an undertaking not to sell the
article in future. was fined £1 and £3 3s. costs.