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1906] 268
Places where Ice Creams are made.—The Public Health Department
have now cognizance of 230 places where these comestibles are made, as
compared with 230 in 1905, and 234 in 1904. They were all visited during
the year; but in only one or two instances were the ingredients kept in
unsuitable places. The provisions of the London County Council General
Powers Act (1902) are not sufficiently strong to completely prevent their
contamination in the course of their preparation, or to control the conditions
under which they are sold, which are altogether bad, one person after another
using the same glass, which is only rinsed in water that after a while becomes
dirty and contains saliva from the mouths of people who have used the glasses,
which have been wiped in a none too cleanly cloth. One has only
to watch the sale of ice creams outside the gates of a park on a summer's
day to discover for themselves the truth on this matter. Legislation has done
some good, but more is required, to compel the vendors to provide a separate
vessel for the sale of each portion of ice cream. Such a vessel need not be
glass, as at present; it could be made from paper, such as is constantly used for
a similar purpose at public dinners, picnics and other entertainments. There
is no reason why the people's popular ice cream should not be sold to them
free from danger.
Food sold by Hawkers, etc.—There is no doubt that the food sold
by these people is generally of fairly good quality, although as a rule cheaper
than that sold in shops. Much of it, too, is brought quite fresh from the market
to the customer's door, or to the street stall, but that portion remaining over
unsold from the preceding day comes from no one knows where.
It is true that some of the food is taken to sheds, or other place of
storage, but some of it also is frequently carried into the homes of the vendors.
Particularly is this the case with the smaller traders, who sell apples, oranges,
and the like fruits, or oysters, winkles and mussels. Not long since this matter
was brought forcibly under the notice of the Medical Officer of Health through
a Sanitary Inspector discovering a basket of oysters in a W.C. apartment
which was uncleanly, and consequently gave off a strong effluvium ; while
in another instance a quantity of winkles were discovered in a decomposing
state in the room of a hawker (a woman), who lay drunk on the bed. These
are not exceptional cases for the Medical Officer of Health has during his
official life, now a quarter of a century long, frequently discovered foods, sold
by hawkers, in their rooms, and even under their beds. People who sell foodstuffs
should be compelled by law to possess proper storage places for the
portions which remain unsold at the end of their day's work.