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 1915
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Defects have been found in places where food is sold or prepared for sale as follows:—
| 1915. | Restaurants Hotels, Eating-Houses and Confectioners. | Ice Cream Sbops. | Dairies, | Bakehouses. | Fish Shops. | Butchers, Poultry and Provisions. | Fruit and Vegetables. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirty walls and ceilings | 108 | 6 | 8 | 2 | — | 3 | 13 |
| Dirty floors | 11 | 9 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Defective roofs | 7 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| „ floors | 5 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Absence of or defective dustbins | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Accumulations of refuse | 19 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Food stored or prepared in improper places | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Yards dirty | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| „ paving defective | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Water cisterns dirty | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| „ ,, defective | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Water—insufficient or none | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| W.Cs. defective | 34 | 4 | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| „ dirty or obstructed | 17 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 3 |
| ,, insufficient | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| ,, unventilated | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| „ without ventilated lobby | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Urinals defective | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sink wastes, &c., defective | 27 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 |
| Drainage defective | 18 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Burning refuse in stoves | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Defective ventilation | 6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| „ „ of gas stoves | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dampness of walls, &c. | 10 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Room adjoining used as a bedroom | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kitchens overheated | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cloak-room accommodation absent or unsuitable | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jnvested with flies | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Restaurants.—The kitchens of hotels and restaurants are inspected
at least once a quarter.
Ice-cream Premises.—There were during the year 155 places where
this commodity was made or sold, and these were kept under supervision.
Defects, as shown in the accompanying table, were found and rectified.
The making of ice-cream was prohibited in one shop until the place was
made suitable, and the vendor severely cautioned.
Bakehouses.—At the end of 1914 there were 16 above-ground and
68 underground in use. During 1915 one underground bakehouse was
closed and one above-ground was opened and one closed. All the bakehouses
were inspected, and cleansing carried out twice a year.
Notices were served in respect of various defects.