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barbers and gives the Council the power to make bye-laws for ensuring the cleanliness of premises and equipment,
the persons employed and their clothing. At the end of the year, in order to obtain uniformity throughout the County,
the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint Committee were drafting bye-laws for adoption by the member Councils.
SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS (AMENDMENT) ACT 1954.—This Act amends the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933. It
provides for the Minister to make regulations for securing humane conditions in slaughterhouses, and also amends the
terms under which slaughtermen's licences may be issued. A licence is now valid for one year only and must specify
the kinds of animals to be slaughtered and the types of instruments which may be used. A licence to slaughter horses
is operative only in the area of the authority issuing the licence. No licence was issued during 1954.
FOOD SUPERVISION.—
Unsound food.—Approximately 11½ (11¾) tons of diseased or unsound food were surrendered for destruction.
Diseased meat is incinerated, other condemned food being disposed of through the normal refuse channels.
Bacteriological examinations.—The samples of milk submitted, 147 (120) were all satisfactory. Samples of ice
cream examined for bacterial content were graded as follows :—
Grade 1—8(5): Grade 2—5(4): Grade 3—2(4): Grade 4—1(7).
Other samples examined were lollies, drinking water, chocolate, and tinned cream, milk, salmon, ox-tongue and
asparagus.
Registrations.—The following registrations were in force at the end of the year under the Milk and Dairies Regulations
or the Food and Drugs Acts :—
Distributors of milk 117 (118)
Dairies — (—)
Ice cream premises 206 (195)
Food premises 75 (75)
Licences.—Licences to sell designated milk in force at the end of the year are given below:—
Dealers' principal licences Dealers' supplementary licences
Pasteurised 84 (78) Pasteurised 20 (20)
Sterilised 121 (117) Sterilised 22 (22)
Tuberculin tested 62 (60) Tuberculin tested 20 (20)
Food poisoning.—During the year 89 (107) cases of food poisoning or suspected food poisoning were notified. An
outbreak occurred in a local hospital which affected seventeen people. The causative agent was salmonella
typhimurium, phage type II, and the suspected food was fried liver. In addition to the seventeen cases mentioned
the causative agent was found to be salmonella typhimurium in nine other cases. Two further cases were caused by
streptococcal infections and in the remaining sixty-one cases no agent was found.
Food premises.—Following are details of the food premises in the Borough at the end of the year:—
Food Shops
Bakers 21 (25) Provision stores 123 (122)
Cake shops 22 (20) Horsemeat shops 2 (2)
Butchers 60 (60) Domestic stores 17 (17)
Confectioners 112 (107) Corn chandlers 2 (2)
Chemists 51 (51) Greengrocers 93 (93)
Fishmongers 21 (24) Public Houses 105 (105)
Fried fish shops 12 (12) Cider Houses 2 (2)
Grocers 40 (41) Off Licences 57 (57)
General shops 41 (43) Cafes, restaurants etc 141 (143)
Food Factories
There are 10 (10) food factories in the Borough including 2 (2) ice cream factories.
Animal Food Dealers
There are two cats' meat shops in the Borough. This is the same figure as last year.
Street Traders
Coffee stalls 6 (6) Fruit and vegetable stalls 31 (31) Ice cream stalls 2 (2).