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large extent upon his employees to maintain such service, and
a health education policy is being vigorously pursued among
such persons. They must be made to appreciate fully the
important part they play in the prevention of food poisoning
and the dangers encumbent upon failure to observe elementary
rules of hygiene.
The members of the public also have a responsibility in this
matter; the new legislation does not apply to them and many
food traders are concerned and embarrassed by the thoughtlessness
of some of their customers. For example, the shopkeeper
and his assistants are forbidden by the Regulations to smoke
whilst engaged in the handling of open food, but such restriction
is not statutorily imposed upon his customers. The public,
therefore, can do much to assist in the clean food campaign
by refraining from such undesirable practices as smoking in a
food shop, coughing and sneezing over the counter or over food
displayed thereon, from placing dirty shopping bags on the
counter, and from taking dogs into food shops.
The public can also help by insisting on a hygienic service
in the food shops at which they deal and particularly in restaurants
and eating houses which they may patronise. Their
collaboration is an essential complement to the Regulations in
the national endeavour to reduce the large number of cases of
food poisoning which is giving cause for such concern in this
country.