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
Brentford and Chiswick 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brentford and Chiswick]
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26 cases were substantiated the details of which are as follows:-
| Complaint | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| Match in carton of milk | No action. |
| Mould on processed cheese | Warning letter. |
| Nail in sliced wrapped loaf | No action. |
| String in sliced bridge roll | Court action - £25 fine and £8.10s. 0d. costs. |
| Cement in milk bottle | Warning letter. |
| Snail in frozen peas | Warning letter. |
| Mould in beef sausages | Court action - £5 fine and £15.15s. Od. costs. |
| Mould in apple turnover | Court action - £10 fine and £10.10s.Od. costs. |
| Mould in chocolate sponge | Court action £10 fine and £6. 6s.Od. costs. |
| Bottle cap in milk | Warning letter. |
| Mould on sliced wrapped bread | No action. |
| Metal in bread | Warning letter. |
| Metal in sliced loaf | Court action - £10 fine and £10.10s. Od. costs. |
| Mould in beef suet | Warning letter. |
| Fly in porkburger | Warning letter. |
| Mouldy coconut snow cake | Court action - £25 fine and £25 costs. |
| 2 cakes infested with cocoa bean moth | Court action - £15 fine in each case and £21 costs. |
| Glass in cheese roll | Court action ° case dismissed. |
| 2 mouldy pork pies | Court action - £15 fine in each case and £21 costs. |
| Brush fibres on bread | Warning letter. |
| Cap in 1/3 pint bottle of milk | Warning letter. |
| Mould on madeira cake | Warning letter. |
| Smell of 1/3 pint bottle of orange drink | Warning letter. |
| Condition of cooked cod roes (decomposing) | Warning letter. |
There has been a considerable rise in the number of food samples brought
to the Department by purchasers. This may indicate more awareness on the part
of the public that food should be clean and fresh, or it may indicate, as the
figures for Contraventions of the Pood Hygiene Regulations on page 30 suggest
that slovenly and dirty sellers and handlers of food are increasing in the Borough,
In 1963, there was a record number of prosecutions of sellers or makers
of unsound food,, all successful except one for lack of evidence.
FOOD SAMPLING
By the courtesy of the Chief Officer, Public Control Department of the Middlesex County Council, the following details of food sampling within the Borough are available:-
| Article | Total samples procured | Unsatisfactory |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 9 | 2 |
| Butter | 21 | - |
| Cheeses | 3 | 1 |
| Condiments | 9 | - |
| Cream | 12 | - |
| Drugs | 3 | - |