London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1929

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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The Council have, however, since 1921, pressed for some system of compulsory registration
of premises where the commodity is sold, manufactured or stored; and this was granted
under the London County Council (General Powers) Act of 1928, which requires that any premises
used for the sale or manufacture or storage of ice cream shall be registered by the owner or
occupier with the Council and prohibits any premises being used for these purposes unless they
are registered. This new legislation does not apply to premises occupied as a factory or workshop
or to hotels, restaurants or clubs. The number of premises entered upon the Council's register
is 110.
During the past year 173 visits to ice cream premises were made by the Inspectors.
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.—These Regulations provide that no person may
slaughter any animal without first giving verbal or written notice to the Council of his intention.
Upon receipt of such notice, the Council's Food Inspector attends during the slaughtering process
whether by day or night, and examines all carcases immediately afterwards. During the year
three hundred and nine slaughterhouse inspections were made.

The following table shows the number of animals slaughtered in the Borough in 1929:—

Month.Beasts.Animals Slaughtered. Swine.Sheep,
January74517
February96223
March825036
April826073
May1027368
June1224769
July4114117
August-11879
September333174
October147553
November522576
December547059
Totals732870744

Diseased meat condemned during this period was as follows:—

Carcases(including organs)16
Forequarters13
Hindquarters18
Plucks135
Heads161
Livers56
Lungs128

The Regulations prescribe for the protection of meat from contamination by dirt and flies in
shops, on stalls and during transit.
Of the 114 butchers' shops within the Borough, 112 have been provided with glass fronts,
whilst in the two shops remaining precautions have been taken which would probably satisfy the
Magistrates that the Regulations have been adequately observed; at the present time there is not
one shop in the Borough where the Council could, with any prospect of success, issue a summons
for non-compliance with the Regulations and the Council have every reason to feel satisfied with
the way in which the butchers have responded to the demands made upon them.
It should, however, be pointed out that in many cases the glass fronts are kept open at times of
the day when trade does not require this. It is significant that in the better-class areas in the
Borough it is usual for the windows to be kept closed at all times, probably because traders recognise
that the customers in their areas appreciate the necessity of care being taken to keep meat free
from contamination. With the advance of public opinion on the question of clean food, it is hoped
that the officers of the Public Health Department will be able to persuade all butchers to keep
their shop windows closed much more than is the case at the present time.
The precautions taken by those traders who retail meat from street stalls may now be
considered to be adequate.
Slaughter Houses.—These are licensed annually by the London County Council in the month
of October and the five Kensington licences granted in 1928 were renewed in 1929. These premises
are kept in a cleanly condition, and from a structural point of view are not open to objection.