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
Hackney 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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Details are given below with regard to the adulterated formal samples and the action taken by the Council in respect thereof:—
| Description. | Nature and Extent of Adulteration. | Action taken. |
|---|---|---|
| 14.F Milk | 6.7% fat abstracted | Proceedings. Summons dismissed on payment of £1 1s. costs. |
| 20.G ,, | 21.7% ,, | Proceedings. Fined £1 and £2 2s. costs. |
| 32 .S | 3.0% „ | Vendor warned. |
| 64.N Butter | 0.6% added water | |
| 31 K „ | 0 4% | |
| 11 .Z Malt Vinegar | 17.5% „ „ „ | Proceedings. Summons dismissed under Probation of Offenders Act. |
| 19.W Pepper | 13.0% added magnesium carbonate | „ „ |
| 35 ,Y Dripping | Excess of free fatty acids as oleic acid | Vendor warned. |
| 10.H Lard | Mainly fats other than lard | No action. Sold as lard substitute |
| 37.Y Chopped Meat | Sulphur dioxide 326 parts per million | Proceedings. Fined £2 and £2 2s. costs. |
| 47.Y „ „ | Sulphur dioxide 134 parts per million | Proceedings. Fined £3. |
| 51.Y „ „ | Sulphur dioxide 64 parts per million | Proceedings. Fined £3 and £1 1s. costs. |
| 81.N ,, ,, | Sulphur dioxide 51 parts per million | Vendor warned. |
There were thus seven prosecutions instituted during the year,
resulting in the payment of £15 6s. in fines and costs.
The average composition of the formal milk samples taken in 1930 is shown in the following table in order that a comparison may be made with the standard of genuineness accepted by the Ministry of Agriculture, namely, 3.0 per cent, milk fat and 8.5 per cent, solids not fat:—
| Months. | Number of Formal Samples taken. | Average Composition of all Samples. | Average Composition of Genuine Samples. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Milk Fat. | Percentage of Solids not Fat | Percentage of Milk Fat. | Percentage of Solids not Fat | ||
| January | — | - | - | - | - |
| February | 36 | 3.34 | 8.91 | 3.34 | 8.91 |
| March | 84 | 3.37 | 8.86 | 3.37 | 8.86 |
| April | 54 | 3.45 | 9.00 | 3.47 | 9.00 |
| May | 44 | 3.28 | 9.13 | 3.28 | 9.13 |
| June | 34 | 3.28 | 9.14 | 3.28 | 9.14 |
| July | 24 | 3.37 | 9.12 | 3.37 | 9.12 |
| August | 36 | 3.36 | 9.09 | 3.36 | 9.09 |
| September | 6 | 3.46 | 8.93 | 3.58 | 8.95 |
| October | 29 | 3.60 | 9.06 | 3.60 | 9.06 |
| November | 18 | 3.75 | 9.08 | 3.75 | 9.08 |
| December | 17 | 3.54 | 9.05 | 3.54 | 9.05 |
| Average | - | 3.43 | 9.03 | 3.44 | 9.03 |