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
Woolwich 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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| Description. | Number in Borough on 31st December, 1952. | Number of Inspections. |
|---|---|---|
| Dairies | 5 | 25 |
| Distributors of Milk | 122 | 242 |
| Ice Cream Premises | 257 | 855 |
| Premises where Food is Prepared, other than above | 169 | 1,084 |
| Restaurants and Eating Houses | 236 | 1,015 |
| Markets | 2 | Daily |
| Bakehouses | 29 | 52 |
| Itinerant Vendors | — | 80 |
Milk Supply
Within the area of the Borough there are five dairy premises and 96 registered
distributors of milk. The Council has also approved the registration of a further
26 distributors of milk who sell in the Borough from premises outside. One
hundred and fifty-six Dealer's licences and 68 Supplementary licences have teen
issued under the provisions of the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1949,
authorising the use of the Special Designations Tuberculin Tested, Pasteurised and
Sterilised.
All of the 214 samples of milk submitted to the Public Analyst for chemical analysis contained three percent, or more of fat. Actual figures were:—
| 4 5 per cent, and over | 1 |
| 4 per cent, and under 4.5 per cent. | 3 |
| 3 5 per cent, and under 4 per cent. | 118 |
| 3 per cent, and under 3.5 per cent. | 92 |
| Below 3 per cent. | 0 |
During the year, 286 samples of pasteurised and tuberculin tested pasteurised
milk were submitted to the methylene blue test for the keeping quality of milk,
and all samples were reported to be satisfactory. A further 286 samples of
pasteurised and tuberculin tested pasteurised milk submitted to the phosphatase
test for adequate pasteurisation were all reported as satisfactory. Twenty-three
samples of sterilised and tuberculin tested sterilised milk were submitted for the
turbidity test and satisfactory reports were received in each case. The methylene
blue, phosphatase and turbidity tests are prescribed tests under the Milk (Special
Designation) Regulations, 1949.
In accordance with the practice carried out for many years in Woolwich,
samples of milk were obtained from milk roundsmen in the early hours of the
morning during deliveries to schools, hospitals and institutions in the Borough.
Fifty-one such samples were obtained and of these five were submitted for chemical
examination, 23 for the phosphatase test and 23 for the methylene blue test.
During the routine visits to milk distributors, 11 defects to their premises
were found and remedied, and five informal notices were served upon the responsible
persons.
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