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8
bound up with the Home Help Service, the Social Welfare Department
of the L.C.C., the British Red Cross, the W.V.S., the Old
People's Welfare Association and the Old Age Pensioners' Association,
and the Lady Sanitary Inspector is in frequent contact with
such organisations.
It would appear, from the reports of the Chief Medical Officer
of the Ministry of Health, that outbreaks of food poisoning are
increasing. The outbreaks reported to the Ministry since the War
are as follows:—
1945 422
1946 598
1947 765
1948 964
Great publicity has been given to the need for greater care in
handling and preparing food; this is all the more important because
of the increased numbers of the population who now use restaurants
and canteens. There can be little doubt that this factor is largely
contributory to the present high figures of notified food poisoning.
This being so, it behoves all Health Departments to ensure that the
highest possible standards of hygiene are practised in food establishments
in their areas, and this should apply not only to catering
establishments—although they are perhaps of primary importance—
but to all premises where food is stored, handled, prepared or distributed.
Local Authorities have certain well-defined powers under
Sections 13 and 14 of the Food and Drugs Act, but these legal
standards are not sufficiently exhaustive. A more personal approach
is desirable with a view to encouraging a standard of hygiene which
is practised voluntarily and at the same time goes much further than
enforcible legal standards.
With this in view, we in Greenwich are contemplating the
inauguration of a Guild of Hygiene which will embrace not only the
food and drink trades but such people as hairdressers and laundry
workers. We are prepared to draw up codes of practice with which
each member of the Guild will be required to comply. Already we
have been promised the active support of progressive traders and
business people in sufficient numbers to warrant the launching of a
Guild in the early New Year. The success or failure of such a Guild
rests with the traders themselves and with the general public, who
receive as high or as low a standard of hygiene as they are prepared
to accept.
It is not our intention to launch on a meteoric campaign. We
hope for steady progress and continuous addition to our members.