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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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1934, prohibiting the sale or exposure or distribution or offer for sale for human
consumption of such shellfish unless they have been:—
(1) Subjected to a satisfactory process of cleansing at an establishment which is for the time
being approved by the Minister of Health for the purpose; or
(2) Relaid in pure water for such period and in such places as may from time to time be approved
for the purpose by the said Port Health Authority; or
(3) Subjected to a process of sterilisation by steam under pressure for at least six minutes in an
apparatus which is for the time being approved by the said Port Health Authority.
Shellfish taken from such portion of the River Medway as is within the district
of the Port Health Authority are controlled by the Medway (Shellfish) Regulations,
1935.
There are in addition shellfish layings in the River Roach and in Paglesham,
Potton and Yokefleet Creeks, but there has, up to the present time, been no occasion
to make an Order relative to these layings.
(3) SAMPLES OF FOOD EXAMINED DURING THE YEAR.
(a) Bacteriologist—
| Date. 1938. | Sample. | Result of Analysis. | Action taken. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 10 | Drinking water | The sample was bright and clear, with no deposit. | None. |
| Ex ss. "Rangitiki." | 1. Number of micro-organisms developing on Yeastral agar (aerobically) at 68° F. (3 days) averaged 55 per c.c. | ||
| 2. Number of micro-organisms developing on agar (aerobically) at 98° F. (48 hours) averaged 41 per c.c. | |||
| 3. Bacillus Coli absent from 50 to 1 c.c. of sample. | |||
| 4. Streptococci not present. B. Welchi not present. | |||
| Remarks—a satisfactory drinking water. | |||
| Mar. 4 | Sterilised Milk Ex ss. "Llanstephan Castle." Taken on board at Durban— 15th January, 1938. | Milk tastes good | See Special Report, page 19. |
| Number of Bacteria per c.c. 3,556. | |||
| a. 1/10 c.c.17 | |||
| Presence of Bacillus Coli—48 hours—No change. | |||
| Presence of Bacillus Coli—3 days—No change. | |||
| Remarks—A good milk. Milk centrifuged and plated on McConkey—no growth on cultures. | |||
| Rats fed on milk, remained alive and well. | |||
| 4 | Sterilised Milk Ex ss. "Llanstephan Castle." Taken on board at London— 17th December, 1937. | Milk tastes good. | Ditto. |
| Number of Bacteria per c.c 1,490. | |||
| c. 1/1,000 c.c. ... 4 | |||
| Presence of Bacillus Coli—48 hours—No change. | |||
| Presence of Bacillus Coli—3 days—No change. Remarks—A good milk. Milk centrifuged and deposit plated on McConkey. No growth on cultures. Rats were fed on milk and remained alive and well. | |||
| „ 4 | ss. "Llanstephan Castle." From Fore peak tank through pump in firemen's washroom. (London water.) | Condition of sample—Cloudy, opalescent rust coloured water with definite brown deposit. | Ditto. |
| Number of micro-organisms developing on Yeastral agar (aerobically) at 68° F. (3 days) averaged 10,800 per c.c. | |||
| Number of micro-organisms developing on Yeastral agar (aerobically) at 98° F. (48 hours) averaged 9,720 per c.c. | |||
| Bacillus Coli absent from 50 to 0.001 per c.c. of sample. | |||
| Coliform organisms—present in 10 c.c bile salts. Streptococci not present. | |||
| B.Welchi present in 50 c.c. of water. | |||
| B.Pyocaneous isolated from 50 c.c. of water. | |||
| Water precipitated and plated on McConkey. | |||
| Plates negative for typhoid groups. | |||
| Remarks—A bad water and not fit for drinking purposes. |