London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Greenwich 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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As a result of 310 visits of inspection to the catering establishments, insanitary conditions were remedied and improvements effected on 112 occasions. The following is a summary of the improvements carried out:—
| Type of Improvement Effected | Total No. |
|---|---|
| Walls, Ceilings, Repaired, Cleaned & Redecorated | |
| (Premises) | 46 |
| (W.C's.) | 10 |
| (Wine Cellars) | 2 |
| Urinal Supplied | 1 |
| Urinal Redecorated | 1 |
| Floors Repaired or Resurfaced | 3 |
| Roofs Repaired | 3 |
| W.C. Supplied | 1 |
| W.C. Seat Repaired | 1 |
| Tiling Repaired | 1 |
| Handbasins & Sinks Installed | 12 |
| Water Heater Installed | 16 |
| Ventilation Improved | 2 |
| Cutting Tables & Blocks Renewed | 4 |
| Locker Accommodation for Staff provided | 2 |
| Dustbins Renewed | 2 |
| Drainage Cleared & Cleansed | 1 |
| Nail Brush & Towel Supplied | 1 |
| Protection for Cooked Meats | 1 |
| First Aid Equipment Supplied | 2 |
| Total Improvements effected | 112 |
Many licenced victuallers have instituted a catering service
during the last few years, some providing prepared food to be
consumed at the bar counter and others supplying a cooked lunch
in a separate dining room. Seven improvements were carried out
at public houses as a result of informal action.
Food and Drugs Act, 1938.—In accordance with the Council's
contract with the Public Analyst, 398 samples were obtained under
the provisions of the above Act and presented for examination. Of
this total 36 samples were formal and 362 informal of which 14 (one
formal and 13 informal) were reported to be non-genuine. Three of
the unsatisfactory samples were only incorrectly labelled and have
therefore been excluded in the calculation of the adulteration figure.
The adulteration figure at 2.7% shows a decrease of 0.1 from that of
last year.
Again milk was the main food sampled and only one of the 49
samples submitted for analysis proved to be unsatisfactory. This
was a Channel Island milk 2% deficient in milk-fat-a contravention
of the Milk and Dairies (Channel Islands and South Devon Milk)