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
Hornchurch 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornchurch]
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LIST D.
FOOD COMPLAINTS WHERE ANALYSIS WAS NOT REQUIRED
| Complaints | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| Pasteurised milk alleged to be sour and bitter. | Shopkeeper prosecuted for not being registered as a Distributor of milk and for selling designated milk without a licence. Fined £1 on each charge. |
| Metal can opener in bread pudding. | Investigation at works canteen proved inconclusive. Firm warned. |
| Pasteurised school milk containing red and blue foreign bodies. | Dairy informed - no further action required. |
| Cream vanilla slice with suspected mould. | Discolouration not due to mould growth but to contact with metal of baking tin. No further action. |
| Part of milk loaf with numerous small mould growths. | Matter taken up with bakery concerned. |
| Steak and kidney pie with mould growth underneath. | Legal proceedings instituted -Vendor fined £5. |
| Stone in fruit cake. | Warning letter to Baker concerned. |
| Jam roll alleged to have an unpleasant taste and smell. | Matter taken up with Vendor concerned - food not unfit. |
| Chicken and veal pies containing mould growth and decomposing. | Legal proceedings instituted -Grocer fined £10 on each of two charges. |
| White loaf containing screw. | Legal proceedings instituted -Baker fined £5. |
| Pork pie containing mould growth. | Legal proceedings instituted -Case dismissed when Vendor pleaded warranty. |
| Skinless beef sausages with mould growth. | Legal proceedings instituted -Grocer fined £5. |
| Sponge cake alleged to have an unusual taste and odour. | Matter taken up with bakery concerned. Bakery in question had recently been repainted. |
| Chocolate cakes alleged to be dirty. | Matter taken up with Manufacturers. |
| Sausages alleged to have caused food poisoning. | Sausages submitted to Oldchurch laboratory for bacteriological investigation with negative results. |
| Bottle of milk containing foreign material. | Matter taken up with firm concerned. |
| Bottle of school milk containing glass. | Matter taken up with firm concerned. |
This list comprises complaints in which the facts were clearly
apparent and did not demand scientific corroboration. It is impracticable
In this report to detail the circumstances of each complaint but were
this possible it would go far to explain any apparent lack of logic in any
of the decisions taken.