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
Hillingdon 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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Environmental Health
77
Samples examined within the Department
| Food | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
|---|---|---|
| Cream | 15 | 1 |
| Canned Fruit | 1 | — |
| Ice Cream | 1 | — |
| Milk | 28 | 1 |
| Mince Meat | 13 | — |
| Spirits | 20 | — |
| Vinegar | 3 | — |
In the seven cases where there were considered to be labelling contraventions, the label was either
altered or the product discontinued in five cases, and in the remainder discussions with the manufacturers
are continuing. An imported processed cheese was found to have an excessive moisture
content, the matter was taken up with the importers and further samples of the product are to be
taken.
Samples of imported food are also taken as part of the sampling programme under this Act
and details of these samples are set out later in the report on pages 89/90.
Sixty-one samples of milk (see page 70), were examined for the presence of antibiotics by the
Public Health Laboratory and in one case the presence of an antibiotic was indicated. Enquiries
revealed that the farmer had been treating the cow for an infection and had failed to reject the milk.
A warning letter was issued.
Food Complaints
The number of food complaints received during the year increased sharply, the total being 155 as against 114 for 1967.
| Food | Nature of Complaint | Type of foreign body found | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign matter | Mould | ||
| Bacon | 2 | Mould, dirt, maggots | |
| Baked beans | 1 | — | "Fizzing" action when opened |
| Beer | 1 | — | Mould growth |
| Bread | 22 | 5 | Matchstick, needle, glass, beetle, insect |
| Butter | — | 1 | |
| Canned meat | 3 | 7 | Corrosion, insect |
| Cereals | 2 | — | Mites, moths |
| Cheese | 1 | 2 | Tin foil |
| Chipped potatoes | — | 1 | |
| Cooked meat | — | 2 | |
| Cream | — | 2 | Curdled |
| Fish | 4 | 4 | Worms, matchstick, grit |
| Flavoured spread | — | 1 | |
| Flour confectionery | 8 | 3 | Bristle, string, flint, plastic, glass, carbonised dough, wire |