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
Shoreditch 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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5 tartaric acid, 5 mustard, 5 glycerine, 5 ammoniated tincture of quinine,'5 breakfast
sausage, 4 camphorated oil, 4 ground rice, 4 sago, 4 boracic acid, 4 full-cream condensed
milk, 4 full-cream dried milk (2 informal), 4 meat pie, 4 fruit cordial, 4 mixed
spice, 4 Lisbon wine, 3 bun mixture, 3 lard, 3 rice, 3 salmon and shrimp paste, 3 coffee
and chicory, 3 sauce, 3 rum, 2 baking powder, 2 compound liquorice powder, 2 arrowroot,
2 dried milk food, 2 corned beef, 2 sugar, 1 each of " Brinite " (informal)
modified full-cream dried milk, lime juice cordial, turpentine, brawn, ground cinnamon,
apples, apricots, mixed fruit, fruit salad, gelatine, lemon squash, mincemeat, ground
nutmegs, oatmeal, shredded cocoanut, flour, sodium bicarbonate, bloater paste, bread
and butter, oil of eucalyptus and pickles.
Of the samples of milk 8 or 1*6 per cent, were found to be below the standard
fixed by the Board of Agriculture. The proportion of milk samples returned as
adulterated during 1927 was again greatly below the average.
In the subjoined table are shown the numbers of samples of milk taken during the four quarters of the year, with the numbers and percentages of those not found to be genuine :—
| Quarter of the year. | Number of Samples. | Number not genuine. | Percentage adulterated. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 138 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 2nd | 130 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 3rd | 87 | 4 | 4.6 |
| 4th | 142 | 1 | 0.7 |
In three of the samples water was certified to have been added; in two cases it
was less than 5 per cent., and in the third case it was 8 per cent.; in five the samples
showed deficiencies in milk fat; in one of these it was less than 5 per cent., and in
the other four the deficiency ranged from 13 to 42 per cent. taking the standard of the
Board of Agriculture.
Legal proceedings were instituted in five or 62.5 per cent. of the cases in which
samples of milk were below standard. In one instance a warranty was proven and
the case was dismissed. In two instances the summonses were dismissed upon
payment of costs, and in the other two cases costs only were allowed the Council.
No legal proceedings were considered advisable as regards the remainder of tinsamples
of milk below standard. The percentage of the adulterated samples of milk
in which it was not thought advisable to institute legal proceedings was 37.5.
Sixty-six samples of butter were taken, all of which were returned as genuine,
28 were reported as containing boric acid, not exceeding 0.5 per cent. in each.