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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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98
Inspectors. Disregard of normal hygiene in the handling and
preparation of food at such establishments can lead to an outbreak
of food poisoning on a large scale and it is a tribute to the
Inspectors' vigilance that no such outbreaks have occurred.
As a result of 177 visits of inspection to the catering establishments, insanitary conditions were remedied and improvements effected on 26 occasions. The following is a summary of the improvements carried out:-
| Type of Improvement Effected | Total No. |
|---|---|
| Walls, Ceilings, Repaired Cleaned and Redecorated | |
| (Premises) | 8 |
| (Kitchen) | 2 |
| New Branch Drain | 2 |
| New Gullies | 4 |
| New Sinks | 2 |
| New Handbasins | 2 |
| Floors resurfaced (premises) | 1 |
| Ventilation Improved | 1 |
| Water Heater installed | 3 |
| Cooker repaired | 1 |
| Total improvements effected | 26 |
Many licensed 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. Six improvements were carried out
at public houses as a result of informal action.
Food Rejected.—The following table is a summary of unsound
food voluntarily surrendered during the year under the provisions
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Section 180(8) most of
which was processed and used for animal feeding :-
Shops, Stalls, etc.:—
Meat-
| Beef and Pork (Various cuts) | 302 lbs. |
| Cow Heels | 11 „ |
| Mutton and Lamb (Various cuts) | 4 „ |
| Bacon | 118 „ |
| Kidneys—Pigs' | 28 „ |
| Poultry | 14 „ |
| Rabbits | 65 „ |
| 542 lbs. |