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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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the carcase, which latter is placed on a table, and certain unsound or brine-stained
portions removed. Men employed on this work should be provided with overalls, and
the reconditioning done under cover, to keep dust and flies, &c., from contaminating
the meat.
Butchers engaged in jointing meat in the Docks should be provided with a proper
closed butcher's shop.
Apricot Pulp from Spain.
On the 1st July, a consignment of 21 barrels of apricot pulp arrived in the East
India Dock from Spain.
The consignment was detained pending the result of the analysis of a sample
drawn from one of the barrels. The analysis showed that the pulp contained sulphite
preservative equivalent to 3,850 parts of sulphur dioxide per million.
The result of this analysis was reported to the Ministry of Health, and also to
the Importers, and at the request of the latter a further sample was drawn from the
same barrel as the first sample and an additional sample from another barrel. The
results of the analysis of these two samples showed the presence of sulphur dioxide
to the extent of 2,980 and 1,400 parts of S02 per million respectively, the former
being in excess of the maximum amount permitted under the Public Health (Preservative,
&c., in Food) Regulations, namely, 1,500 parts per million, and the latter just
within the maximum permitted.
The Importers were informed of these results, and it was pointed out to them
that as one sample showed an excess of sulphite preservative and the other was just
below the maximum permitted it was only reasonable that either the whole consignment
should be returned to the shippers, or that the consignment should be sorted by
analysis, the cost of which should be borne either by the importer or the shipper,
after which all barrels found to contain iess than 1,500 parts of S02 per million would
be admitted.
The Importers agreed to the latter proposal, and the following is the results of the analyses of the whole of the 21 barrels.
| SO 2 Parts per million. | SO 2 Parts per million. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel No. 1 | 1,980 | Barrel No. 12 | 1,470 |
| „ 2 | 2,100 | „ 13 | 1,265 |
| „ 3 | 1,120 | „ 14 | 1,970 |
| „ 4 | 1,140 | „ 15 | 1,890 |
| „ 5 | 940 | „ 16 | 1,495 |
| „ 6 | 1,690 | ,, 17 | 1,400 |
| „ 7 | 1,710 | „ 18 | 940 |
| „ 8 | 1,895 | „ 19 | 3,850 |
| „ 9 | 1,240 | „ 20 | 1,425 |
| „ 10 | 2,040 | „ 21 | 2,070 |
| „ 11 | 1,210 |
After consideration of these figures 11 barrels were placed at the disposal of the
Importers, whilst 10 were re-exported under guarantee from the Importers that
they would not be re-shipped to any port in the United Kingdom.
Sardines.
During 1934, 138 samples of sardines were examined for lead. Results showed
parts of lead per million varying from 2 parts per million to 78 parts per million.
No sample was entirely free. The average amount of contamination per sample
examined was 17.3 parts per million of lead.
Seven consignments representing 1,070 cases or 107,000 tins were re-exported