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
Paddington 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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15
SHOPS ACTS.— Visits for the purposes of the Shops Acts are made by one of the Food Inspectors so far as " food "
shops are concerned, and by one of the Lady Sanitary Inspectors as concerns all other shops in the Borough. This
arrangement made possible the better supervision of shops, and 1,531 visits were made during the year, nearly a
thousand more than in 1947. Section 10 of the Shops Act, 1934 deals with the arrangements for the health and comfort
of shop workers, and places upon the Borough Council responsibility for ensuring
(a) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation ;
(J) suitable and sufficient means for maintaining a reasonable temperature ;
(c) suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences, unless a certificate of exemption is granted.
This section of the Act makes the ensuring of the provision of suitable and sufficient lighting and washing facilities
the responsibility of the London County Council, who are, of course, also responsible for applying the other parts of the
Act relating to hours of employment, etc.
A Home Office Committee has been investigating the whole question of shops and it is possible that the
recommendations of this Committee may form the basis of future legislation relating to shops. At the present time the
administration of the Shops Act is shared in London by the County Council and the Borough Council ; the Borough
Council duties being those of a sanitary authority.
FOOD SUPERVISION.
| Number Examined | Number Adulterated | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Informal | Formal | Informal | |
| Apple juice | — | 1 | — | — |
| Aspirins | — | 3 | — | — |
| Bacon | — | 8 | — | — |
| Baking powder | — | 3 | — | — |
| Bicarbonate of Soda | — | 1 | — | — |
| Biscuits | — | 1 | — | — |
| Bread and rolls | — | 8 | — | |
| Bread crumbs | — | 1 | — | — |
| Butter | — | 9 | — | — |
| Cakes, buns, scones, etc. | — | 18 | — | — |
| Cake, pudding, sponge, etc. mixtures | — | 18 | — | — |
| Camphorated oil | — | 2 | — | — |
| Caraway seeds | — | 2 | — | — |
| Cereals, flaked | — | 3 | — | — |
| Cheese | — | 8 | — | — |
| Chocolates | — | 1 | — | — |
| Chopped liver, tinned | — | 1 | — | — |
| Cocoa | — | 1 | — | — |
| Coffee | — | 5 | — | — |
| Coffee and chicory essences | — | 9 | — | — |
| Coffee extract, dried | — | 3 | — | — |
| Cooking fat | — | 10 | — | 1 |
| Cough and lung mixture | — | 3 | — | — |
| Creamy sponge | 1 | — | — | |
| Currant loaf | - | 1 | — | — |
| Dessert sauces and powders, etc. | - | 2 | — | — |
| Edible oils | - | 7 | — | — |
| Epsom salts | - | 3 | — | — |
| Essences, flavouring and colour | - | 15 | — | — |
| Fish cakes | - | 5 | — | — |
| Fish paste | - | 14 | — | — |
| Fish, tinned | - | 9 | — | — |
| Flour | - | 6 | — | — |
| Fruit, tinned | - | 6 | — | — |
| Gelatine and jelly powders | - | 3 | — | — |
| Gin | - | 1 | — | — |
| Glauber salts | - | 1 | — | — |