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 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beckenham]
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Food and Drugs Sampling
264 samples of food and drugs were submitted to the Public
Analyst during the year. 54 were taken formally, the remainder
informally. The latter method entails the purchase of food or drug
as an ordinary buyer, the vendor being unaware that the product is
to be submitted to analytical examination. The disadvantage of
informal procedure is that legal action cannot be taken against the
vendor should any adulteration of the articles sampled be found.
On the other hand, the method is economical in time and money,
and formal samples of any adulterated product are immediately
obtained.
It is our practice to confine our formal sampling to foods manufactured or produced from day to day (milk and sausages are two examples). A list of samples taken is appended.
| ARTICLE | FORMAL | INFORMAL |
|---|---|---|
| Almonds (Ground) | 6 | 2 |
| Aspirin | — | 2 |
| Beans in Tomato Sauce | — | 1 |
| Beef Steak with Gravy | — | 2 |
| Biscuits | — | 1 |
| Blackcurrant Flavour | — | 1 |
| Blackcurrant Syrup | — | 2 |
| Butter | — | 1 |
| Cabbage (Pickled) | — | 1 |
| Cake Mix | — | 1 |
| Capers in Malt Vinegar | — | 1 |
| Cashews (Ground) | — | 1 |
| Cheese (Processed Cheddar) | — | 1 |
| Cheese Spread | — | 5 |
| Cheese and Tomato (Processed) | — | 1 |
| Chicken (Chopped) | — | 2 |
| Chicken in Jelly (Minced) | — | 2 |
| Chickelettes | — | 1 |
| Chocolate (American Buttered) | — | 1 |
| Christmas Pudding | — | 2 |
| Cinnamon (Ground) | — | 1 |
| Coffee and Chicory Essence | — | 1 |
| Crab (Dressed) | — | 4 |
| Cremola Foam Crystals | — | 1 |
| Cream | — | 6 |
| Cream Rice Pudding | — | 1 |
| Cream Butter | — | 1 |
| Curry Powder | — | 2 |
| Custard Powder | — | 1 |
| Essence of Rennet | — | 1 |
| Dairy Ice Cream | — | 1 |
| Doughnut (Fresh Dairy Cream) | — | — |
| Evaporated Milk | — | 1 |
| Figs in Heavy Syrup | — | 1 |
| Fish Cake | — | 3 |
| Flour (Plain) | — | 2 |
| Flour (Self Raising) | — | 2 |
| Ginger (Ground) | — | 6 |
| Golden Cake Covering | — | 1 |
| Hamburger Steaks | — | 1 |