View report page

Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health,—1893. 63
APPENDIX B.
Special Reports on the Retail Bakehouses
in the Parish.
During the year 1893 I have made two Special Reports on the retail bakehouses
within your district. Many references to the subject are also scattered throughout
my general reports to the Vestry.
My views and conclusions on the whole subject may be best gathered from the
following paper, read before the Sanitary Institute on February 14th, 1894, which,
together with the subsequent discussion, is here reprinted from the Journal of the
Society:—
"The subject upon which I have been invited to address you covers so much
ground that it would be hopeless to attempt to deal with it exhaustively within the
limits of time allotted to this paper. I, therefore, propose to confine my remarks
more particularly to the consideration of the hygienic aspects of the bakehouses.
At the same time, it may be broadly stated that many of the objectionable features
met with in ill-regulated bakehouses are reproduced in bad kitchens.
"After a prolonged consideration of this question, I have been forced to the
conclusion that there is urgent need throughout the United Kingdom for enquiry
and reform. Under the present system, the health of the workman often suffers, and
in some instances the public health is also endangered. To remedy the evils, I would
suggest—(1) that inspection under existing statutes should be more systematic and
complete; (2) that legislation is needed to extend the powers of local authorities to
deal with all aspects of the bakehouse question. Further, I am of opinion that a
proper scheme of legislative action could be best initiated by a Select Committee
of the House of Commons.
"Too little attention has, I think, been devoted in the past to the wholesomeness
of places where food is stored and prepared. Most practical sanitarians will agree
with me that this neglect is likely te entail consequences more or less serious upon
the food consumer, and in a still greater degree upon the food producers.
"Turning to that portion of the subject with which I propose to deal more
particularly, namely, to the question of bakehouses, this attitude of general apathy is
especially remarkable. In bread, we have to deal with an article of prime necessity;
it is the staple and essential factor in all dietaries, and every citizen is directly
concerned in matters affecting its cost, its purity, and its methods of production.
These being the circumstances, it seems hardly credible that, on a moderate estimate,