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
Barnet 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnet]
This page requires JavaScript
The following samples of milk were submitted for bacteriological examination:—
| Untreated | Pasteurised | Sterilised | Ultra-Heat Treated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of samples taken | 49 | 52 | 4 | 1 |
| Satisfactory | 36 | 52 | 4 | 1 |
| Failed | 9 | — | — | — |
| Test Void | 4 | - | - | - |
In addition 80 samples of raw milk were examined for the presence of brucella abortus.
A further 16 samples were submitted for biological examination for the presence of
tubercle bacillis. All the samples were free of such organisms.
There are 10 producers of milk in the Borough. Two are in closed communities which
use the milk untreated.
Food Complaints
One hundred and eighty-one complaints were received as to quality or soundness or
the presence of foreign bodies in food of which 23 were referred to the Public Analyst
for examination. In 41 cases the offence justified proceedings. In a further 12 cases
the Council authorised the sending of a "warning letter". The remaining cases were
dealt with by advice from the Department to the retailers or manufacturers concerned.
The table below classifies the nature of the complaints.
| (a) Insects | 26 | |
| (b) Metal objects | 16 | |
| (c) Mercury | ||
| (d) Glass, stones, etc. | 10 | |
| (e) Paper, wood, string, etc. | 6 | |
| (f) Oil or grease | 10 | |
| (g) Fabric, plastic, rubber, etc. | 5 | |
| (h) Cigarette ends | 2 | |
| (i) Harmless matter, e.g. burnt dough in bread | 10 | 93 |
| 2. Quality | ||
| (a) Unsoundness | 6 | |
| (b) Mould growth | 23 |