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
City of London 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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The number of seizures of Foodstuffs made by the individual Inspectors during the year was as follows : —
| Inspector Garland | 91 |
| „ Rolfe | 15 |
| „ Massie | 289 |
| „ Burr | 99 |
| „ Berry | 489 |
| Sanitary Inspectors during temporary Food Inspection | 392 |
| 1,375 |
The number of detentions and seizures made annually during the last ten years were as follows :—
| Year. | No. of Seizures. | Year. | No. of Seizures. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 932 | 1927 | 1,369 |
| 1923 | 848 | 1928 | 1,436 |
| 1924 | 992 | 1929 | 1,569 |
| 1925 | 1,196 | 1930 | 1,547 |
| 1926 | 1,620 | 1931 | 1,375 |
Districts in which Foodstuffs were seized during the year:—
Royal Albert Dock 320
Royal Victoria Dock 159
King George V. Dock 40
East India Dock 9
West India Dock 72
South West India Dock 7
Millwall Dock 48
Surrey Commercial Dock 76
Poplar Dock —
London Dock 363
St. Katharine Dock 155
Regent's Canal Dock 29
Tilbury Dock 94
River Thames 3
Total Seizures 1,375
The detention and control of Fats under the Public Health (Imported Food)
Regulations, 1925, during the year was as follows :—
No. of casks, &c., reported as imported into the district 18,718
No. of casks, &c., found to be officially certificated —
No. of casks, &c., released to wharves under Notice of Exportation 11,069
No. of Exportation Notices served 261
No. of casks, &c., released for exportation 3,240
No. of casks, &c., released for soapmaking, &c. 14,144
1,310 barrels of whale oil also arrived in the Port; this material was released.
Imported Mutton Infected with Caseous Lymphadenitis.
The control of imported Mutton on account of Caseous Lymphadenitis was
continued throughout the year, in accordance with the decision of the Ministry of
Health, as the result of a Conference held in December, 1930. At this Conference it
was found that the standard of examination in Australia and New Zealand had
improved to such an extent that the routine sampling might be reduced from ten to
five per cent, of imports from these two countries. In regard to Mutton imported
from South America, it appeared that the standard was not so satisfactory, and that,
therefore, the examination of ten per cent, of such carcases on arrival should be
continued.
It was further decided to continue the 100 per cent, examination of pieces of
Mutton whatever the country of origin.
In August the Ministry of Health called for a Return showing the results of the
examination of all carcases of Mutton during the first six months of the year. As
the result of consideration of the Returns received, it was decided that no change in
the existing arrangements in regard to inspection should be made.