View report page

94
the minimum fat content for ordinary ice cream was 5.9% and the
maximum 15.7% and with chocolate coated ice cream the maximum
was as high as 26.8%. An extremely high figure of 10.1% was
returned as the average fat content of all samples taken.
Appended at the end of this Food Section is a table listing all
samples reported upon as being " non-genuine " and giving the
administrative action taken in respect of each unsatisfactory
sample.
Public Health (Dried Milk) Regulations, 1923 to 1948.—
These Regulations control the minimum milk-fat content of dried
milk and the labelling of tins or other receptacles in which this
commodity is contained.
One genuine sample was submitted for analysis during the year
under the provisions of the above Regulations.
Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations, 1923 to
1948.—Minimum percentages of milk-fat and milk-solids of condensed
milk as well as the standards of labelling of receptacles are
covered under the provisions of these Regulations.
During the year 15 samples were examined and with the
exception of one labelling infringement, all proved to be genuine.
FOOD POISONING
General.—Sir John Charles, the Chief Medical Officer of the
Ministry of Health in his first Report on the Nation's health,
commented on the fact that the nation, in its pre-occupation with
the curative and specialist services, appears to have lost sight of
the debt it owes to the " preventive health services." For years
these services, unpublicised and unsung, have been performing
courageously and efficiently and their saving of human life and
suffering is inestimable.
An obvious example of the important part which the preventive
services could play has been provided by the Chief Medical Officer
in his 1949 Report. He has indicated that a substantial increase
in food poisoning has occurred throughout the country, some 6,111
notifications being received in respect of 678 outbreaks and 1,753
sporadic cases, affecting approximately 11,000 people.
Even taking into account the fact that part of this increase is
undoubtedly attributable to the Ministry's introduction of the
Annual Return called for under cover of its Circular 46/49 (a revision
of the Memorandum 188/Med., issued in 1935), the increase was
significant.