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
Beckenham 1943
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beckenham]
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SAMPLING.
178 samples of food were taken during the year: details are set out below. All were found to be "genuine."
| Arrowroot | 2 | Brought forward | 130 |
| Butter | 16 | Mushroom Ketchup | 1 |
| Betox | 1 | Porridge Oats | 1 |
| Biscuits | 1 | Prunes | 1 |
| Browning | 1 | Pepper | 4 |
| Beef and Vegetable Extract | 1 | Paste (Chef) | 1 |
| Baking Powder | 1 | Pudding Mixture | 1 |
| Currants | 1 | Raisins | 5 |
| Condensed Milk | 3 | Sultanas | 3 |
| Coffee | 3 | Seasoned Gravy | 1 |
| Coffee Extract | 1 | Sage & Onion Stuffing | 1 |
| Cocoa | 1 | Self-Raising Flour | 2 |
| Cake Mixture | 1 | Salmon & Shrimp Paste | 1 |
| Cream Custard Powder | 1 | Sugar | 12 |
| Corn Flour | 1 | Steam Pudding Mixture | 1 |
| Creamola Pudding | 1 | Semolina | 1 |
| Cake Flour | 1 | Stuffing | 1 |
| Friquick (Savoury) | 1 | Soya Cream | 1 |
| Glenmar Pudding | 1 | Sausage Meat | 1 |
| Golden Syrup | 1 | Tea | 3 |
| Galantine Roll | 1 | Vegetable Extract | 1 |
| Ground Ginger | 1 | Vinegar (Malt) | 1 |
| Honey | 1 | Worcester Sauce | 1 |
| Ham & Beef Paste | 1 | Yorkshire Pudding | 2 |
| Jam | 2 | ||
| Lard | 10 | Formal Samples: | 177 |
| Lemon Biscuit Mixture | 1 | Informal Sample: | 1 |
| Margarine | 6 | ||
| Marmalade | 1 | Total | 178 |
| Mustard | 2 | ||
| Milk | 64 | ||
| Carried forward | 130 | Informal Sample (Coffee Extract) | 1 |
MEAT INSPECTION.
Except for "emergency killing" the slaughterhouses in the
district are closed. On 25 occasions animals were dressed for food
when 70 pigs were slaughtered. In 5 cases diseased conditions were
found.
OTHER FOODS.
The shops and premises where food is kept were frequently
inspected and a large quantity of food unfit for human consumption
was surrendered. A considerable proportion was put to some
useful purpose.
| Article | Condition | No. of Tins, Packages, etc. | Lbs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clod and Sticking | Putrid | 1 | 100 |
| Sirloin | „ | 1 | 4½ |
| Chopped Beef . | „ | 1 | 5 |
| Forequarter | ,, | 1 | 128 |
| 4 | 237½ |