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 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnet Urban District Council]
This page requires JavaScript
(17)
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. 19^8.
Those sections of the above Act concerning adulteration and sampling of foodstuffs
are enforced by the County Authority in this district.
The following details shew the number and nature of the samples taken in the Urban District of Barnet during the year, and the results of the analyses.
| Article. | No. of Samples Taken. | Genuine. | Adulterated. | Extent and Form of Adulteration. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 9 | _ | – | |
| Beef Sausage | 1 | 1 | ||
| Sweet Spirits of Nitre | 1 | l | - | - |
| Ground Ginger | 1 | l | - | - |
| Baking Powder | 1 | l | - | - |
| Salad Cream | 1 | l | — | - |
| Paregoric | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Apple Juice | 1 | l | — | - |
| Sago | 1 | l | - | - |
| Seed Tapioca | 1 | l | - | - |
| Arrowroot | 1 | l | — | - |
| Custard Powder | 1 | 1 | — | - |
| Spirits of Sal Volatile | 1 | l | — | - |
| Oatmeal | 1 | l | — | - |
| Curry Powder | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Beef Jelly | 1 | l | - | - |
| Meat Paste | 1 | l | — | - |
| Peppermint Flavouring | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Linseed Compound | 1 | l | - | - |
| Lemonade Powder | 1 | l | — | - |
| Concentrated Essence of | ||||
| Cinnamon | 1 | 1 | _ | — |
| Ground Nutmeg | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Seidlita Powder | 1 | l | - | — |
| Totals | 31 | 30 | 1 | See Below + |
+ No proceedings were instituted against the vendor of this sample, but a
warning was given.
FOOD PREMISES.
Following a meal taken by seventy employees at a local factory canteen some
40 were reported to have had symptoms of food poisoning. Because the symptoms
were mild and of short duration patients did not call in a doctor and no official
notification was therefore received. However, a full investigation was made and
numerous samples submitted for analysis to the Public Health Laboratory Service,
Colindale.
The suspected vehicle of infection was meat and vegetable pasty made with
meat cooked the previous day and allowed to cool overnight in the kitchen. A