[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    100/104 (page 98)
    One sample of Wliisky faqueur was of satisfactory alcoholic strength of 59.5 per cent, proof spirit. Two samples of whisky were received one of which was alleged to contain methylated s])irits. No methylated spirits was found in either sample and their alcoholic strengths were satisfactory. A Channel islands milk sample submitted from a private source contained 4.2 per cent, of fat and was therefore satisfactory. Ten samples of milk were also received fi'om private sources. Two of these milks were 2U and 8.d per cent, deficient of fat respectively and one other was soui'. A decorated iced cake was received from a local Food Enforcement Inspector. The weight of the cake and the total i)ercentage of oils, fats, sugar and dried egg solids made this article sub¬ ject to the provisions of the Flour Confectionery (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1940 (Amendment No. 4) Order, 1948, which controls the retail price of the article. Three further samples from a private source were of sausage, brawn and stock. The sausages contained 52 per cent, of meat, the brawn 72 per cent, and the protein content of the stock was equivalent to 1U.5 per cent, of defatted meat. One sanqile of sugar was alleged to have a peculiar taste and was found to contain 2U per cent, of salt which without doubt accounted for ilie taste. One sample of fat was received and was proved to be horse fat. The ditch water contained an oil consisting of paratlin and probably a hydrocarbon grease. The sample of chloros was satisfactory and contained 14.7 per cent, of available chlorine. The anti-lice dusting powder was submitted in connection with the death and illness of some calves which had been dusted very thoroughly in an enclosed space. It consisted of 5 per cent, of benzene hexachloride and 95 per cent, of aluminium sdicate (kaolin or china clay). The animals probably breathed in an appreciable quantity of the pow'der. The School Meals Section submitted various articles for examination, the largest number being in connection with tenders from firms. On the whole, the samples were quite satisfactory. Other saiiiples were sent in because of complaints from the kitchens. Two of sago tasted slightly musty when cooked with milk and sugar A deposit had formed on plates at one kitchen which was found to be calcium carbonate. A piece of red substance was found in a school meal— v.^as it lipstick? It was proved to consist of about 45 per cent, of calcium sulphate and a red dye¬ stuff. It possessed no scent and was brittle. These were not the characteristics of lipstick but were those of grease paint, pencil or crayon. Two specimens of viscera were received, one the viscera of a pig and the other of a pullet. The death of the pig was alleged to be due to zinc phosphide or other rat poison and that of the pullet to zinc phosphide. The viscera of the pig possessed no odour of phosphide. 'Microscopical examination revealed starch and other cells of wlieat but no evidence of the presence of red squill was found. No arsenic, strychnine or other alkaloidal poisons were found and a negative chemical test for phosphine was obtained. The amount of zinc found in the stomach and contents was equivalent to 15 parts per million which is below the amounts reported to he present in normal animal viscera. The analysis therefore did not reveal the cause of death. On the other hand, the viscera of the jiullet did possess an odour of pliosi)hide and its pre¬ sence was confirmed. 880 parts per million of zinc were found, which is equivalent to 1,055 parts per million of zinc phosphide. These results conlirnied that zinc phosphide was the cause of death.