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71
Since the war and more so since the de-restriction of building
work, a considerable number of licensed premises have been repaired,
cleansed or modernised either voluntarily or as a result of pressure
by the Health Department. In particular many of the kitchens of
public houses selling cooked meals have been improved.
During 1955, 14 premises were dealt with in this way.
Pharmacy and Poisons Act
Forty-four applications for names to be placed or retained in the
Council's list of sellers of Part II poisons were approved and each of
the premises were visited during the year.
The number has varied little in recent years.
On inspection the labelling and the type of container in which
the poisons were kept were observed and compliance with the requirements
was found to be general.
Unsound Food
No formal seizure and condemnation of food under Section 10 of
the Food & Drugs Act, 1938 was necessary during the year. There is
little evidence of attempts by traders to sell unwholesome food to the
public, in fact it is the traders themselves who generally notify the
department of any suspected unsound food in their possession. In
such cases voluntary surrender of food is accepted and certificates
issued by the Food Inspectors accordingly. Over the years the
amounts dealt with have remained high. This is because, in addition
to the many retail food shops in the Borough, certain multiple stores
have their headquarters in Finsbury to which doubtful food is returned
from branches all over London. Similarly large quantities of foodstuffs
are received at the depots of the British Transport Commission
in the area and the Food Inspectors are often called in to adjudicate
on food that has been damaged or contaminated in course of transit,