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
Walthamstow 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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27
Description of
Articles
Brine (11 samples)
Milk
Meat after brining
(4 samples)
Cooked Salt Brisket
Chicken Noodle Soup
Lemon Juice
Result of Analysis
Excessive amount of zinc
and in one case antimony
Tainted
Excessive amount of zinc
Excessive amount of sodium
nitrate
Incorrectly labelled
Incorrectly labelled
Action Taken
*See below
None possible
*See below
Warning given
None possible
Matter taken up with
Manufacturers and
label amended.
* A series of samples of brine from butcher shops were taken
where butchers were using galvanised pails or dustbins as a
receptacle for brine. The results proved that the saline nature
of the brine corroded the zinc galvanising and the zinc was
transferred to the brine, and thence to the meat being brined
in the receptacle. To avoid contamination of meat with zinc in
this fashion, all butchers in the borough have now been notified
to abandon the use of galvanised containers for brine and have
been advised to use polythene plastic bins instead.
The following summary give details of food sampled and results of analyses:-
| No. Formal | Satisfactory | No. Unsatisfactory | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Informal | Total | Formal | Informal | Total | ||
| Milk | 13 | 1 | 14 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Cream | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Butter | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Buttered Scones | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Ice Cream | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Ice Lollies | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - |
| Tea | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - |
| Coffee | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Lemon Juice | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Fruit Drink | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Whiskey | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| Sausages, Beef | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Sausages, Pork | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Suet, Beef | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Meat before brining. | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - |
| Meat after brining. | - | 11 | 11 | - | 4 | 4 |
| Brine | - | 21 | 21 | - | 11 | 11 |
| Salt Brisket Cooked | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Salt Block | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Gravy Salt | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Instant Icing | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Custard Powder | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Jam | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| Honey | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Cheese Spread with Shrimps | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Ham and Beef Paste | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Liver and Bacon Paste | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Sardine and Tomato Paste | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Chicken Noodle Soup Powder | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 |
| Crab dressed | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Tomatoes | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Apples | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Apricots Dried | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |