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96
It will be noted that there is no Clause dealing with registration
of vendors—an important principle, but one rejected by Parliament
on the ground that such registration would apply to
numerous confectioners, hotels, restaurants, etc., where, as a rule,
the conditions under which the Ice-creams are made are better.
Six samples of Ice-creams—3 from itinerant vendors and 3
from shops—were taken by me, and submitted to bacteriological
examination at the Laboratory, Wanless Road. In three instances
(all street trade) bacilli coli communis were obtained,
pointing to insanitary conditions under which Ice-creams had
been made—these particular bacilli living in the intestinal canals
of man, or other animals. There was no suspicion of illness from
the consumption of such ices, which were found to be made in
districts outside Lambeth, so that no action was taken. In the
other three instances (taken from shops) no such bacilli were
found.
Joseph Priestley,
Medical Officer of Health.
January 12th, 1903.