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45
Where ice cream sold in the Borough is made at premises outside Holborn, it
is our practice to ask for information as to the conditions of manufacture from the
Medical Officer of Health of the area concerned. On the other hand, we receive a
number of such enquiries from other districts respecting ice cream made in
Holborn, principally in the " Italian Colony," and sold in other districts.
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.
These Regulations came into operation on the 1st April, 1925; they deal with
slaughter-houses, meat marking, the handling of meat in wholesale markets,
conditions of transport, the protection of meat in butchers' and other shops and
on stalls from contamination by flies, mud and other contaminating substance.
The following summary shows the number of butchers' shops and meat stalls
in the Borough, and the number of other shops where meat is sold: —
Butchers' shops 27
Butchers' stalls 3
Provision dealers 28
Provision dealers' stalls 3
Offal shops 3
Cooked meats 5
Wholesale (bacon; sausage) 3
72
All the butchers' shops and meat stalls in the Borough are regularly inspected
to ensure compliance with the regulations; during the year 643 such inspections
were made.
It is regretted that in a few cases (seven) the undesirable practice continues
of exposing meat for sale outside the shop on stallboards projecting beyond the
building line. If all butchers selling from shops were required to discontinue
the practice of exposing meat in front of their shops it is difficult to see that
any hardship would be caused. It is noteworthy that during the hot weather,
in the best shops, very little meat is displayed; it is in the cold storage plant,
but no one contends that the sale of meat is thereby prejudiced. Any attempt
to convert the benches into imitation stalls is not in accordarce with hygienic
ideals. The existence of stalls in market streets in the form allowed by the
Regulations is countenanced because it is thought their existence enables meat
to be sold at competitive prices and so tends to bring down the prices generally
at which meat is sold to the public.
In all instances in the Borough where meat is exposed for sale outside shops
or on stalls suitable screens are provided and used for the protection of meat, as
far as practicable, from dust, mud and other contaminating substances such as
soot; frequent reinspections are made to see this is done.
Steps are being constantly taken to ensure that customers do not handle
butchers' meat; improvement has occurred. In shops where "pieces" are sold
a notice is exhibited urging customers not to handle meat before purchase, and
forks are provided to enable the pieces to be turned over by purchasers without
direct handling. As a result of their observations and enquiries the Inspectors
report that the forks so provided are generally used.