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
Stepney 1922
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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M 101 is interesting in that all three parts of the formal sample were
analysed by qualified analysts. The vendor's analyst found 2.0 parts per
million, the Government analysts 1.6 parts, and my analysis gave 2.4 parts.
The mean of the three analyses being 2.0 parts. As each analyst only received
about 6 ounces of the Lime Water, the agreement may be considered very
satisfactory, the total amount of lead in each bottle being only just over
one two-hundredth part of a grain. The danger of lead as a poison lies in the
fact that it is cumulative. An infant may take small quantities of lime water
regularly for a considerable time. If such lime water contain traces of lead,
the child would in time accumulate sufficient lead into its system to cause
lead poisoning. I can find no record of any previous proceedings for selling
lime water containing lead. It is to be hoped that the publicity given to this
case in the technical press, will put pharmacists on their guard.
1. Milk and Cream not sold as preserved cream ;—
| (a) No. of Samples examined for preservative. | (b) No. in which preservative was reported to be present. | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 838 | 0 |
| Cream | 13 | 10 |
| (For particulars see body of report.) | ||
| 2. Cream sold as preserved cream. | ||
| (a) Correct statements made | 13 | |
| Statements incorrect | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | |
| In each case the statutory label stated that not more than 0.4 per cent, of boric acid was present. | ||
| (b) Determinations of milk fat in cream sold as preserved cream :— | ||
| (1) Above 35 per cent. | 13 | |
| (2) Below 35 per cent. | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | |
(c) Instances where (apart from analysis) the requirements as to
labelling cr declaration of preserved cream had not been
observed:—
In three cases the requirements of section 6 of the schedule
to the regulations had been ignored. (For particulars see body
of report.)
Miscellaneous Samples.
Rag Flock.—One informal sample contained 64 parts of Chlorine per
100,000.
Borough Engineer's Department.—The 7 samples analysed consisted of
1 sample of disinfecting fluid and 6 samples of disinfectant powder. In several
cases the disinfectant powders did not comply with the specification.