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
Stepney 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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Unsound Food.
The following quantities of unsound foodstuffs were disposed of during the year under the Public Health (Imported Food) Regulations, 1937-1948, and the Public Health (London) Act, 1936:-
| Tons | Cwts | Qrs | Lbs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wharves | 72 | 9 | 3 | 19 |
| London Fruit Exchange and Spitalfields Market | 96 | - | - | 21 |
| Bishopsgate Goods Stations ex Zeebrugge-Harwich Train Ferry | 13 | 18 | 3 | 12 |
| Non-Ferry Goods | 4 | 4 | 2 | 23 |
| Other Premises | 54 | - | 2 | 11 |
| 240 | 14 | 1 | 2 |
Approximately 10 tons of unsound food was allowed to be used for
animal feeding purposes, or for manufacturing purposes other than for
human consumption, the remainder being delivered to, or collected by the
Public Cleansing Department at whose riverside depot it was mixed with
household refuse, under the supervision of the Public Cleansing Officer,
and removed by barge to a controlled tipping site in Essex.
Some 16 tons of damaged tea and tea sweepings was allowed to be
exported to J«pan for industrial purposes.
Approximately 2,500 Condemnation Certificates in respect of unsound
food were issued in 1959.
Zeebrugge-Harwich Train Ferry.
310 midnight or early morning visits and 131 other visits were made
to Bishopsgate Goods Station for the purpose of examining 8,079 trucks
of foodstuffs arriving from the following countries
America 3 trucks. Germany 37 trucks
Austria 1 " Greece 4 "
Eelgian Congo 8 11 Holland 5 "
Belgium 246 " Hungary 341
Bulgaria 158 " Italy 5,876
Denmark 1 " Spain 1
Ecuador 1 " Switzerland 68
France 3 " Yugoslavia 1,326 "
The weight of the foodstuffs examined was 77,669 tons, comprising
58,336 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables, 11,786 tons canned meats
and sausages, etc., 4,252 tons bacon, 1,236 tons butter, 84 tons
confectionery, 910 tons canned fruits and vegetables, 434 tons frozen
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