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The Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations, 1923-27, and the Public Health (Dried Milk)
Regulations, 1923-27.—During the year, eleven samples of condensed milk were taken, and each
was found to comply with the regulations in every respect. No samples of dried milk were
examined.
Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933.—This act and the rules made thereunder, both of which
came into operation during 1936, have for their object the closer control of the sale of poisons and
poisonous substances.
The act provides for the preparation by a poisons board of a poisons list divided into two parts
and called part 1 and part 2. Part 1 contains the names of those poisons usually known as deadly,
and these may now be sold only by registered pharmacists. Part 2 contains the names of those
poisons commonly in use for domestic, horticultural, agricultural and sanitary purposes ; these
may be sold, not only by registered pharmacists, but also by traders whose names are entered in
a list kept by the local authority. Entries in such list are for a period not exceeding twelve months
and terminating on a date fixed by the local authority. When the council considered the act and
rules, they decided that all entries in their list should be in respect of the twelve months commencing
on the 1st May of each year.
It is the duty of the council to enforce the new requirements so far as they relate to the sale
of part 2 poisons (except by pharmacists, who are supervised by the Pharmaceutical Society), and
for this purpose they have appointed the medical officer of health, the deputy medical officer of
health, and the food inspector as inspectors under the act.
The number of entries in the council's list on the 31st December, 1937, was 211 ; 204 of these
were in respect of persons who had applied for renewal of their registration for the twelve months
ending 30th April, 1938, and the remainder were new registrations.
The Shops Act, 1934.
This act requires a closer supervision of all shops than had hitherto been the case. Administration
is divided in London between the county council and the metropolitan borough councils, the
duty of the latter being limited to the enforcement in all shops of
(a) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation ;
(b) ,, ,, ,, ,, maintaining a reasonable temperature;
(c) „ ,, „ w.c. accommodation.
In order to give effect to the new legislation in Kensington, it was decided to make a complete
survey of all shops in the borough and to prepare a card index record on the lines of the one existing
in regard to dwelling houses. By the end of 1936, 2,992 shops had been inspected. During 1937,
a further 376 shops were inspected and 156 notices were served.

Section 10 (6) of the act provides that a local authority may grant a certificate exempting a shop
from the provision of suitable and sufficient water closet accommodation if they are satisfied that by
reason of restricted accommodation or other special circumstances affecting the shop it is reasonable
that such a certificate should be in force and that suitable and sufficient sanitary accommodation is
otherwise conveniently available. Thirty-four exemption certificates were granted in 1935, fifteen
in 1936, and a further six in 1937.
Shortly after the act came into operation, the council considered the question as to what should
be regarded as suitable and sufficient sanitary accommodation where persons of both sexes are
employed. It was decided that in those shops where members of both sexes are employed, separate
sanitary conveniences for each sex should be required if the number of employees exceeds four ; but
that if the number is less than four, one sanitary convenience should be regarded as suitable and
sufficient, provided that the door of such convenience is fitted with a proper lock or fastener on
the internal side and an automatic indicator showing on the external side of the door whether the
apartment is engaged or vacant.