[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London] page 33

City of London 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

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Date.	Sample	Analyst's Report.			Action taken
1930.
May 9	Potted Meat and Fish.	"On opening the above sample a minute black deposit was found, which proved to be Sulphide of Iron. On examination of a section of the paste cut from top to bottom of jar, it was noticed that the meat was discoloured, the discolouration being more marked at the top and gradually lessening towards the bottom. The rubber ring round the inside of the lid was found to contain free Sulphur (0.29 per cent.), while the paste itself contained a small amount of iron. Although this amount of free Sulphur does not usually cause trouble of this kind. I have had one sample that gave trouble where the free Sulphur was only 0.28 per cent., and I have little doubt that, possibly owing to unusual heat conditions, the Sulphur has reacted with the iron, thus producing the discolouration of the paste."			Consignment released.
	Copper		Equal to Crystallised Copper Sulphate. Grains per Pound.	Tin. Grains per Pound.
July 22	Copper. 10 tins Spinach		Equal to Crystallised	Tin. Grains per Pound.
			Copper Sulphate. Grains per Pouud.	Tin. Grains per Pound.
		0.015	4.15	Trace	Magistrate's order
„ 31		None	None	0.55	obtained for
Aug. 1		0.016	6.03	Trace	condemnation
		None	None	0.22	of one case con
		None	None	0.55	taining 50 tins.
		None	None	Trace	Balance, 9 cases,
		None	None	0.33	released.
		None	None	0.44
		None	None	Trace
		None	None	0.55
Sept. 4	2 tins Turtle Soup	Tin equal to 1.77 grains per pound and 2.65 per pound detected in samples. Preservatives were not detected.			Consignment released.
„ 10	1 tin Peas	Sample free from presence of Copper, Tin, preservatives and other deleterious ingredients.			,,
„ 13	1 tin Peas	,, ,, ,, ,,			,,
Oct. 16	Apples (3)	Arsenious oxide, 1/89 grain per pound			Allowed to go forward.
„ 21	Apples (6)	Arsenious oxide, grain per pound			Consignment released.
„ 23	1 tin Vegetables	Traces of tin. Free from the presence of Copper and other prohibited colouring matter, preservatives and other deleterious ingredients.			,,
„ 23	1 tin Vegetables	Crystallised Copper Sulphate, 0.66 grain per pound. Free from the presence of preservatives.			,,
Nov. 3	Brine	Total solid matter 12.91 %			Consignment destroyed (decomposing).
		Solids in suspension 0.23%
		Ammonia, free and saline 0.0082 %
		Chlorine 6.41 %
		Chlorine as Sodium Chloride 10.71 %
		"A microscopical examination revealed the presence of a considerable number of motile bacteria of the B. Subtilis type and Infusoria.
		"From the above results it is evident that, if sea water has been used, for the pickling, salt has been added (sea water contains about 3-4 % of chlorine as sodium chloride). I am of opinion that the amount of ammonia present and the microscopical examination suggest that the Gherkins have been pickled under somewhat unhygienic conditions."
„ 20	Compound Lard	Beichert-Wollny Value 0.3			Consignment released.
		Polenske Value 1.0			Consignment released.
		Acidity None.
		Iodine Value 82.12%
		Melting Point 26.31.2°C.
		Nickel Trace.
		Refractive Index at 40° C 1.462
		Hexabromide Test Turbidity, no precipitate.
		"Although it is not possible to fix definitely the composition of this sample, the above figures show that Cocoanut and Palm Kernel Oils are both absent, and the Hexabromide Test also points to the absence of animal (including fish) oils.
		"I am of opinion that the most probable composition is hardened Vegetable Oils other than the above, possibly Cottonseed Oil or Stearin."
„ 25	Peas	Free from the presence of any prohibited colouring matter. Traces only of Tin.			Consignment released.