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 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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33.
Bacteriological examination of foodstuffs. The following samples were submitted for bacteriological examinations:-
| Nature of Sample | No. of Samples | No. Unsatisfactory |
|---|---|---|
| Pasteurised milk | 63 | 1 |
| Tuberculin Tested | ||
| (Pasteurised) milk | 1 | - |
| Sterilised milk | 2 | - |
| Canned Ham | 1 | - |
| Caramel and Priming | 2 | - |
| Saveloys | 1 | - |
| Pork Sausages | 1 | - |
| Canned Luncheon Meat | 9 | 8 |
| Ice Cream | 51 | (See below) |
With regard to the unsatisfactory sample of Pasteurised
milk, the producer was advised as to the methods of production,
and subsequent samples proved to be satisfactory. The
Area Officer of the Ministry of Pood was notified. In five
instances, the tests were void as the atmospheric shade
temperature exceeded 65°F at the time of sampling.
The samples of Canned Meat, taken from a consignment
of 675 cases, revealed the growth of Clostridium butyricus
and Clostridium botulinus type organisms. The parcel was
surrendered as unfit for human consumption and destroyed.
Ice Cream. There are 264 registered premises in the
Borough. 37 are registered for manufacture, 224 for sale,
and 3 for storage only. 195 inspections were carried out
and 12 Notices served for cleansing and other requirements.
Fifty-one samples of ice cream were submitted for bacteriological examination, with the following results:-
| Manufactured | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| In Borough. | Outside Borough. | Total | |
| Grade 1 | 3 | 23 | 26 (46) |
| " 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 (24 |
| " 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 (14) |
| " 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 (12) |
The figures in parentheses show the totals for 1950,
There has been a steady improvement in the bacteriological
standard of ice cream samples examined over the past
five years, as shown in the following table:-