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
Malden and Coombe 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Malden & Coombe]
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serve as a simple and practical method of grading ice-cream
according to its degree of bacterial cleanliness and samples
which consistently fail to reach grades I or II give reasonable
grounds to indicate defects in manufacture or handling requiring
further investigation. The certificate giving the results of testing
has the following note appended :—
" Owing to the numerous factors governing the hygienic
quality of ice-cream it is unwise to pay too much attention
to the bacteriological results of any single sample. Judgement
should be based rather on a series of samples. It is
suggested over a six monthly period 50 per cent of vendors
samples should fall into grade 1, 80 per cent into grades I
or II, not more than 20 per cent into grade III and none
into grade IV ".
The following table shows the results of samples taken since 1947.
| year | Total Samples Taken | Grades 1 or II. | % | Grade III. | % | Grade IV. | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 29 | 13 | 44.8 | 13 | 44.8 | 3 | 10.4 |
| 1948 | 84 | 55 | 65.4 | 22 | 26.2 | 7 | 8.4 |
| 1949 | 63 | 54 | 85.7 | 8 | 12.7 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 1950 | 85 | 81 | 95.3 | 4 | 4.7 | Nil. | — |
| 1951 | 79 | 74 | 93.7 | 5 | 6.3 | Nil. | — |
| 1952 | 76 | 71 | 93.4 | 5 | 6.6 | Nil. | — |
| 1953 | 46 | 43 | 93.5 | 1 | 2.2 | 2 | 4.3 |
| 1954 | 51 | 39 | 76.5 | 9 | 17.6 | 3 | 5.9 |
| 1955 | 40 | 37 | 92.5 | 2 | 5.0 | 1 | 2.5 |
It should be noted that the three samples placed in grades III
and IV were manufactured by firms outside this Borough. The
Health Departments of the Councils concerned were notified and
subsequent samples proved satisfactory.
MERCHANDISE MARKS ACT.
By reason of the fact that the Council appoint an analyst
for the purposes of the Food and Drugs Acts, 1938 and 1944, they
may execute any of the provisions of the Merchandise Marks Act
other than those relating to importation, so far as relates to any
foodstuff to which an Order in Council under the Act applies.
These are administered by my department.
Orders made under the Act require that on sale an indication
of origin be given in the case of certain imported foods. A few
cases were found where foreign apples or tomatoes were not
labelled as such and verbal warnings were given.