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 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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at which food and drugs are prepared. Such premises include those
of the manufacturers of pharmaceutical sundries, mineral waters
and ice cream as well as fruit-canning factories, flour millers and
brewers. To these establishments the Food Inspectors made 3,310
visits, as a result of which 25 premises were improved.
The following table is a statistical record of the major portion of the duties performed and inspections undertaken during the year by the Food Inspectors.
| Premises Inspected or Visits Made | No. of Visits | No. of Premises at which Improvements were effected |
|---|---|---|
| Caterers', Restaurants, etc. | 143 | 7 |
| Grocers, Greengrocers | 280 | 5 |
| Butchers' Shops | 105 | 8 |
| Dairies and Milk Distributors | 73 | — |
| Wharves and Factories | 708 | — |
| Bakehouses and Bakers' Shops | 35 | 2 |
| Ice-Cream Premises, Confectioners, etc | 148 | 3 |
| Fried Fish Shops | 20 | _ |
| Other Fish Shops | 39 | _ |
| Cooked Meat & Preserved Foods | 104 | * |
| Visits Re. Shops Act | 336 | — |
| „ „ Infestations | 8 | - |
| „ „ Food and Drugs Act | 248 | — |
| „ „ Merchandise Marks Act & Markets | 118 | — |
| „ „ Food Poisoning | 37 | - |
| Sampling Visits | 267 | _ |
| Fair Visits | 15 | _ |
| School Visits | 2 | _ |
| Miscellaneous Visits (including Flour Mills-Cyanide Fumigation) | 568 | — |
| Interviews | 12 | — |
| Complaints Investigated | 44 | — |
| Totals | 3,310 | 25 |
* Included under Grocers' and Butchers' Shops.
Bakehouses.—At the end of the year, 8 premises in the
Borough were being used as bakehouses, none of which was
underground.
Bakehouses and bakers' shops were visited on 35 occasions
and, as a result of the inspections two improvements were effected.
Catering Establishments.—Public demand for communal
catering continues and as a result of this practice of "eating out"
the inspection and supervision of cafes, restaurants, works' canteens
etc., remains one of the most important duties of the Food
Inspectors. Disregard of normal hygiene in the handling and
preparation of food at such establishments can lead to an outbreak