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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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1ll
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.N Vinegar Essence | 17% Acetic Acid | Proceedings. Summons dismissed on payment of £1 1s. costs. |
| 3.N Vinegar Essence | 25% Acetic Acid | Proceedings. Summons dismissed on payment of £1 1s. costs. |
| 12.K Milk | 0.83% added water | Wholesalers warned. |
| 11.C Milk | 16.7% fat abstracted | Vendor warned. |
| 35.Y Butter | 0.2% excess water | No action. |
| 32.K Butter | 0.6% excess water | No action. |
| 67.N Butter | 0.3% excess water | Vendor warned. |
| 45.Z Dripping | 2.1% excess water | Vendor warned. |
| 46.B Sausages | 262 parts per million Sulphur Di-oxide (not declared) | Vendor warned. |
There were thus two prosecutions instituted during the year,
resulting in the payment of £2 2s. Od. costs.
The average composition of the formal milk samples taken in 1938 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 | 30 | 3.5 | 8.97 | 3.5 | 8.97 |
| February | 12 | 3.4 | 8.98 | 3.4 | 8.98 |
| March | 46 | 3.4 | 8.87 | 3.4 | 8.88 |
| April | 35 | 3.4 | 8.87 | 3.4 | 8.87 |
| May | 74 | 3.3 | 8.92 | 3.3 | 8.92 |
| June | 24 | 3.3 | 9.01 | 3.3 | 9.03 |
| July | 32 | 3.4 | 8.87 | 3.4 | 8.87 |
| August | 36 | 3.5 | 9.01 | 3.5 | 9.01 |
| September | 32 | 3.6 | 9.05 | 3.6 | 9.05 |
| October | 24 | 3.7 | 8.95 | 3.7 | 8.95 |
| November | 33 | 3.8 | 8.99 | 3.8 | 8.99 |
| December | 43 | 3.7 | 8.87 | 3.7 | 8.87 |
| Average | — | 3.5 | 8.95 | 3.5 | 8.95 |