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Scabies Clinic for examination and, if necessary, subsequent treatment.
This clinic is held weekly.
Notices under the Scabies Order were served where difficulty arose in
obtaining the attendance of contacts, but in no case was legal proceedings
required to be taken.
Inspection and Supervision of Food.
The need for the conservation of food supplies, both local and national,
continues to be of paramount importance, and the services of your
Sanitary and Food Inspectors are always available for advice and
assistance to the general public and food traders throughout the Borough.
I am grateful for the continued co-operation of the Ministry of Food
^nd the food traders in connection with numerous problems of food
salvage.
Food Premises and Restaurant Sanitation.
It is more than ever necessary to emphasise the special need for
cleanliness in every phase of food production.
Section 13 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, lays down specific requirements
for, not only the sanitation, ventilation and cleanliness of all
premises where food or drink is manufactured or sold, but also for the
cleanliness of the apparatus and utensils used, the provision of proper
and adequate washing facilities for the staff, and the cleanliness of the
staff.
Bacteriological Examination of Foodstuffs.
During the year 36 samples of food were examined bacteriologically, as
follows: —
Milk (graded) 13
Milk (heat treated) 8
Tomatoes (bottled) 1
Fish paste 1
Ice Cream 12
Tap Water 1
All heat-treated milks were submitted to the prescribed tests laid down
by the Milk {Special Designations) Regulations which came into operation
on the 1st March, 1946. These tests are the Phosphatase test for adequate
heat treatment, and the Methylene Blue test which is designed to ensure
that consumers will receive their milk sufficiently fresh to remain drinkable,
if kept reasonably cool, until the next day's supply is received. The
milk samples passed these tests satisfactorily. No pathogenic organisms
were found.
The plate-count test, as prescribed for milks in the Milk (Special
Designations) Order, 1936, is now found to be defective, not only because
a wide margin of error appears inevitable in arriving at the result of the
count, but more particularly because the test takes account of heatresistant
organisms whose presence is of no material signficance for the
safety or the keeping quality of the milk.
Appropriate action has also been taken with regard to various complaints
concerning dirty milk bottles.
The attention of five vendors was called to unsatisfactory ice-cream
samples which had excessive bacterial counts, and in which B. Coli were
present.