London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Stepney 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
This page requires JavaScript
81
Milk.
923 samples of milk were analysed, of which 38 or 4.1 per cent. were
adulterated.
Table E summarises the results and compares them with the results of proceedings taken during the years 1926 and 1927.
Table E.
| Year. | Summonses. | Total Fines. | Total Costs. | Average Fine. | Average Total Penalty. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| 1928 | 18 Foods and Drugs (Adulteration) | 33 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 11 |
| 7 Margarine (Other offences) | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 7 | |
| 13 Milk (Other offences) | 11 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 6 | |
| 38 Total | 48 | 12 | 6 | 84 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | |
| 1927 | 11 Food and Drugs Acts | 13 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| 1926 | 9 Food and Drugs Acts | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
| 6 Butter and Margarine Acts, etc. | 2 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| 15 Total | 9 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 2 | |
The average composition of all the samples of milk analysed for each
month of the year is shown below.
Table G.
Month.
Number
examined.
Fat
per cent.
Solids-not- fat
per cent.
Total Solids
per cent.
January
79
3.80
8.67
12.47
February
79
3.70
8.60
12.30
March
84
3.53
8.58
12.11
April
58
3.52
8.54
12.06
May
62
3.51
8.62
12.13
June
73
3.41
8.68
12.09
July
90
3.56
8.66
12.22
August
86
3.54
8.62
12.16
September
72
3.76
8.68
12.44
October
98
3.88
8.75
12.63
November
76
3.92
8.73
12.65
December
66
3.86
8.66
12.52
Whole Year
923
3.67
8.65
12.32
Legal Minimum
-
3.00
8.50
11.50
The average quality of the milk supply compares closely with that of
previous years. The percentage of fat is again highest in November, from
which month there is a gradual fall to the summer months, when the percentage
of fat is the lowest. The legal minimum of 3.0 per cent. of fat could certainly
be raised to 3.25 per cent. A sample of milk containing the average proportion
of 3.7 per cent. of fat can be deprived of about one-fifth of its fat and would
still be regarded as genuine.