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
City of Westminster 1909
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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92
F.— Food Supply.
Restaurants, t&c.—During the years 1907 and 1908 the Council set
aside an Inspector to make a special examination of hotels, restaurants,
eating houses and other places where food is prepared. This
examination was completed at the end of March, 1909, and the duty
of regularly supervising these places devolved upon the various District
Inspectors, the Food Inspectors. A very considerable improvement has
been effected, not only in the structural condition of these places,
but also in the general cleanliness and conduct of the business; 1,063
premises in which food is cooked and served (exclusive of licensed
houses where food is not prepared and milkshops not serving light
refreshments) have been thoroughly examined, and 1,627 defects (474
relating to cleansing of walls, &c.), which were found in 879 of them,
have been remedied. Altogether 6,538 visits have been paid in
connection with this special inspection.
During 1909 visits have been paid to the various classes of business as follows:—
| Dairies and Milksliops | 690 | Bakehouses | 238 |
| Hotels, Restaurants and Eating bouses | 2,149 | Ice cream makers | 182 |
| Food preserving works | 19 | ||
| Fishmongers | 438 | Greengrocers and Fruiterers | 451 |
| Meat shops (various) | 889 | Confectioners | 7 |
| Provision shops | 290 | Aerated water makers | 2 |
Five statutory notices were served and police court proceedings in two
instances (see list ante); one place was closed as a result. One person
was cautioned for depositing meat in an improper place, and warned
that he would be prosecuted in the event of his continuing to contravene
the regulations of the General Powers Act, 1908.
Ice -cream Premises.—This commodity is made at 146 premises, each
of which was kept under supervision. In 8 instances defects affecting
this particular part of the business were remedied. One street seller
was cautioned for not having his name and address on his barrow.
Bakehouses.—At the end of 1908 there were 12 above-ground and
71 underground in use. During 1909 one underground has been
relinquished and a new above-ground substituted, while one underground
bakehouse which was not in use during the last three years has
been resumed. There are, therefore, 13 above-ground and 71 underground
at present. All the bakehouses were inspected, and cleansing
carried out twice a year. In several instances there was some delay in
having the work done, and proceedings were threatened. One baker
was also warned that he was not keeping the floors, &c., as clean as
he ought to do.