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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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| Sample | Article. | Formal or Informal. | Result of Analysis. | Action taken. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 547 | Cream of Magnesia, B.P. | Informal | Contained magnesia 9.3 per cent. The proportion of magnesia in the sample was 12 per cent. excessive. | Formal sample obtained. |
| 599 | Cream of Magnesia, B.P. | Formal | do., do. | Warning letter sent to manufacturers. |
| 421 | Sterilised Milk | Informal | Ingredients corresponded to the presence of 8 per cent. of added water. The sample had a faint smell suggestive of paraffin. | Formal sample found genuine. |
| 438 | Chutney | Formal | Contained carcases of mites, approximately 200 per ounce. | Manufacturers warned. |
| 489 | Pork Sausages | Informal | Contained sulphur dioxide 185 per million. Sausages should not contain preservative unless its presence is declared at the time of purchase. | Manufacturers warned. |
| 461 | Sugar | Informal | Comprised sugar 97.7 per cent., detergent 2.3 per cent. | Formal sample obtained. |
The foods examined during the year were as follows:—
| Almonds, Ground | 3 | Canned Fruit | 11 |
| Beverages | 6 | Bottled Fruit | 2 |
| Baking Powder | 3 | Dried Fruit | 18 |
| Biscuits | 13 | Fruit, Crystallised and Glace | 4 |
| Bread | 5 | Fruit, Juice | 7 |
| Butter | 5 | Fruit Pie | 5 |
| Blancmange Powder | 2 | Fruit Curd | 5 |
| Cake and Pudding Mixtures | 17 | Gravy Preparations | 8 |
| Breadcrumbs | 2 | Linctus and Pastilles | 3 |
| Caraway Seeds | 2 | Dried Herbs | 4 |
| Cheese and Cheese Spreads | 17 | Honey and Mixtures | 7 |
| Cocoa and Drinking Chocolate | 5 | Dried Horseradish | 2 |
| Coconut, Desiccated | 3 | Jams | 8 |
| Coffee | 16 | Jelly (Calves Feet) | 2 |
| Confectionery, Sugar | 12 | Jelly Tablets, Crystal and Fruit Jelly | 12 |
| Confectionery, Flour | 31 | ||
| Cornflour | 3 | Lard | 4 |
| Cream | 7 | Lentils | 3 |
| Custard Powder | 3 | Margarine | 3 |
| Curry Powder | 2 | Magnesia | 3 |
| Dessert Powder | 7 | Marmalade | 5 |
| Soft Drinks | 10 | Marzipan | 11 |
| Mineral Drinks | 7 | Meat Products | 61 |
| Lemonade Powder | 3 | Meat Paste | 5 |
| Dripping | 2 | Milk | 194 |
| Fish | 16 | Milk Pudding, Canned | 2 |
| Fish Paste | 14 | Mincemeat | 5 |
| Flour | 8 | Mustard, Prepared | 2 |
| Flavouring Essence | 4 | Olive Oil | 3 |