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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| Date. 1938. | Sample. | Result of Analysis. | Action taken. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 9 | Cocoa powder | Contained 12 parts of lead per million. | Result passed to Medical Officer of Health, Wat ford, and to Ministry of Health. | |
| „ 12 | Sardines | Contained 4 parts of lead per million | None. | |
| „ 13 | Sugar sweepings | Contained 8.19 per cent of copper. | Consignment destroyed. | |
| „ 13 | Tinned spinach (2) (see * above). | These samples on examination were found to contain 23 and 67 parts of copper per million of the dried sample respectively, and 15 and 8 parts of zinc per million of the sample. | Consignment released. | |
| „ 14 | Sardines (see † above) | Contained 14 parts of lead per million. | Consignment-re-exported. | |
| „ 14 | Chocolate | Contained 3 parts of lead per million. | None. | |
| „ 14 | Tinned peas | Free from metallic contamination, prohibited preservatives and colouring matter. | None. | |
| „ 17 | Raisins (4) | These samples on examination were found to contain 480, 600, 535 and 445 parts of sulphur dioxide per million respectively. | None. | |
| „ 19 | Grapes (11) (fruit only) | All these samples were found to be free from the presence of arsenic. | Consignment released and result passed to Ministry of Health. | |
| „ 21 | Canned fish (3) | All samples were found to be free from the presence of prohibited preservative and metallic contamination. | None. | |
| „ 23 | Cocoa powder | Contained 1 part of lead per million. | None. | |
| „ 24 | Canned spinach | This sample on examination gave the following results:— | None. | |
| Tin, 0.74 grains per pound; | ||||
| Zinc, 5 parts per million; | ||||
| Copper, 36 parts per million; | ||||
| of the dried sample. | ||||
| „ 30 | Beans | Contained 383 parts of copper per million of the dried sample. | Consignment re-exported. | |
| Oct. 4 | Beans | Contained 678 parts of copper per million of the dried sample. | ||
| „ 4 | Canned mushrooms | This sample on examination was found to be free from the presence of prohibited preservatives and colouring matter, and to contain 0-79 grain of tin per pound. In addition the sample was free from copper and found to contain 1 part of lead per million. | None. | |
| „ 5 | Cocoa powder | Contained 1 part of lead per million. | None. | |
| „ 7 | Chutney | Free from the presence of prohibited preservatives, colouring matter and metallic contamination. | None. | |
| „ 7 | Canned fish (4) | These samples on examination gave the following results:— | None. | |
| Sample | Tin, Grains per pound | |||
| Sild in oil | 0.12 | |||
| Brisling in oil | 0.08 | |||
| Peeled shrimps | None | |||
| Sild in oil | 1.21 | |||
| „ 13 | Canned herrings (2) | Both samples were found to be free from the presence of prohibited preservatives and metallic contamination. | None. | |
| „ 14 | Coffee beans (2) | One sample was found to be contaminated with gummy matter, probably one of the ester gums. The other sample was found to be free from contamination. | Released for reconditioning under the supervision of Medical Officer of Health, Stepney. | |
| „ 18 | Sardines | Free from the presence of lead. | None. | |
| „ 22 | Maize sweepings | Free from the presence of copper. | None. | |
| „ 22 | Prepared mustard | Free from the presence of metallic contamination and prohibited preservatives. | None. | |
| „ 24 | Blackcurrant pulp | Contained 1,465 parts of sulphur dioxide per million. | None. | |
| „ 24 | Sardines | Contained 5 parts of lead per million. | None. | |