London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
West Ham 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
Further particulars of the examination of these milk samples
are given on pages 311 and 312.
Table VIII shows, for a number of years, the percentage
of milk samples found to be adulterated, as compared with all food
samples.
Table VIII.
Adulteration of milk and other foods.
| Year. | Percentage of samples adulterated. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk. | All foods and drugs. | |||
| West Ham. | Avorage for England and Wales. | West Ham. | Average for England and Wales. | |
| 1928 | 2.5 | 8.2 | 3.0 | 5.8 |
| 1929 | 3.1 | 7.8 | 3.4 | 5.4 |
| 1930 | 3.9 | 6.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| 1931 | 1.3 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 4.6 |
| 1932 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 3.8 | 5.1 |
| 1933 | 6.6 | 7.7 | 4.3 | 5.5 |
| 1934 | 2.0 | 7.2 | 2.4 | 5.3 |
| 1935 | 2.1 | 7.4 | 3.1 | 5.5 |
| 1936 | 1.9 | 7.1 | 1.3 | 5.3 |
| 1937 | 2.4 | - | 2.5 | - |
The variation in the fat content of milk at different seasons
is shown, in Table IX, which gives the average monthly and
quarterly composition of milk samples during 1937.
No pasteurisation has been carried out in this area since
1930, when a large company transferred their plant to a neighbouring
borough.
Condensed milk Regulations.
During the year, 38 samples of condensed milk were
examined. Of 26 samples of condensed machine skimmed milk
sweetened, 19 were submitted for the purpose of testing the
"equivalent." This test determines whether the contents of the
tin will, when converted, give the amount of milk which is
declared on the label. Of these, three proved unsatisfactory and
appropriate action was taken. The remainder were satisfactory.
286