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
Coulsdon and Purley 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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FOOD AND DRUGS ACT.
The following samples were taken during 1947 and submitted to the Public Analyst, with the results shown: —
| A rticles. | A nalysed. | Adulterated or deteriorated. | Prosecutions. | Convictions. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Informal. | T otal. | Formal | Informal. | T otal. | |||
| Bread | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | |
| Baking powder | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bi-carbonate of soda | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Butter | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cake flour | 8 | - | 8 | 3 | - | 3 | - | - |
| Cooking fat | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Curry powder | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Coffee and chicory- | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cocoa | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cinnamon | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Essence of | ||||||||
| anchovies | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Flour | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fruit squash | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fish paste | 5 | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fruit pepsin | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gelatine | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gravy cubes | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Hors d'ceuvre | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jam | 7 | - | 7 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jelly making | ||||||||
| compound | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jelly crystals | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lemonade powder | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Liviar (cod liver) | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Milk | 28 | - | 28 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Malt vinegar | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Margarine | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Oatmeal | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Potted Meat | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pudding mixture | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | |
| Potato powder | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sauce | 6 | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Soup | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Soup powder | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sardines | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sausage meat | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Spinach | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Semolina | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Savora | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tea | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tomato juice | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 117 | - | 117 | 6 | - | 6 | - | - |
It will be noted that six samples were reported as being adulterated
or otherwise unsatisfactory. Three of these related to defects in labelling
and no action was taken on the firms concerned agreeing to withdraw the
products and revise the wording of the labels. Similarly, in another case
where flour was considered unfit for human consumption owing to the
presence of flour mites, all remaining stocks were withdrawn from sale.
No action other than warning letters was taken in the other cases owing
to the impossibility of obtaining favourable legal decisions.
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