London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
21
Unsound Food.
Seizure.
Under Section 10 of the Pood and Drugs Act,1938, food
sold, exposed for sale, or in preparation for sale, and found
in an unfit condition, can be seized and taken before a justice
who can condemn it and order it to be destroyed.
There were two instances during the year of food being
seized and condemned. In each case, the Public Health
Committee decided to warn the vendor.
Surrender.
Any person, having for the purpose of sale, food
which is diseased, unsound or unfit for human consumption
can, under Section 180(8) of the Public Health (London) Act,
1936, surrender it to the Council for destruction or other
suitable method of disposal.
During the year, surrender was made of 12,176 tins of various foods, and 39 tons, 8 cwt. 3 qrs. of other foods, the principal items of which were:–
| Tons. | Cwt. | Qrs. | Lbs. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 29 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | 18 | 2 | 1U | |
| Fish | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Meat and Bacon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 |
| Butter, cheese, etc | 18 | - | 23 | |
| Sugar | 5 | - | 1 | |
| Poultry and rabbits . ... | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | - | 2 |
Pharmacy and Poisons Act. 1933.
At the end of the year, the number of sellers of Part 2
poisons (other than registered pharmacists) on the list
maintained by the Council was 137. Of this number 12 were
initial registrations during the year.
Water Supply
In Kensington, the water supply is almost entirely provided
by the Metropolitan Water Board. There are, however, four
premises which obtain water from seven artesian wells. Samples
of water from these wells were taken regularly both by the
Council and the owners for bacteriological and chemical
examination. The samples showed the water was suitable for
drinking and domestic purposes.
During the year the Minister of Health asked the Council
to undertake a survey of disused artesian wells as it was
thought that the bombing of London might have increased the
danger of pollution, both from damaged buildings and from
the abandonment of wells formerly in use. This survey was
undertaken and a detailed report submitted to the Council and
to the Minister of Health. There are eight disused wells
in the borough but there does not appear to be any risk
of pollution from them.