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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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99
Of the samples taken under the Act, 1,491 consisted of foods and of
these 115 or 7.7 per cent, were adulterated; of the remaining 139 samples
consisting of drugs, 24 samples or 17.3 per cent, were adulterated. This is
a great increase on previous years and this increase may be accounted for
by the fact that full-time sampling officers have been appointed who can
follow up all cases where adulteration is suspected or proved. Samples of
milk and bread and butter have for the first time been taken from the
restaurants. Very few of these samples of milk have been found to be
genuine.
Offences were committed in 162 cases. These were dealt with as shown below :—
Legal
Proceedings.
| Adulterated. | Other offences. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Proceedings Caution No action | 61 | 14 | 75 |
| 36 | 3 | 39 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Informal | 41 | 5 | 46 | |
| 139 | 23 | 162 | ||
Legal
Proceedings.
Fines and costs totalled £310 16s. 0d.
965 samples of milk were analysed. Of these 74 or 7.7 per cent, were Milk,
adulterated.
Table C shows the number of samples of milk examined and the
percentages of adulteration during the last ten years.
Table C.
1926.
1927.
1928
1929.
1930.
1931.
1932.
1933.
1934.
1935.
Number of
samples.
809
854
9.23
923
900
881
974
928
1005
965
Percentage of
adulteration.
1.6
1.4
4.1
3.9
2.2
3.0
26
2.2
4.6
7.7
Table D shows the extent of the adulteration and the action taken in
each case.