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Applications are also received from time to time from the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals for Slaughterman's licences to be issued to probationary inspectors. Twenty eight
(15) such licences were issued during the year, and they are necessary in order that the inspectors
concerned can commence training as slaughtermen and receive from the Society practical training
and instruction in modern methods of humane slaughter.
Diseases of Animals Act 1950 and Other Acts Relating to Animals
By arrangement with the City Council the Corporation of the City of London acts for them on
an agency basis in connection with duties under the Diseases of Animals, Riding Establishments,
Performing Animals, Pet Animals and Animal Boarding Establishments Acts where veterinary
services are involved. Officers of the Corporation undertake routine inspection of animals in transit
and inspections for licensing purposes under the Riding Establishments Act, together with inspections
specifically requested by the Medical Officer of Health of Westminster. All other necessary
inspections are made by the public health inspectors. The Corporation issues any notices and
advertisements which may be required under these Acts but licensing and registration of residents
of premises in Westminster is undertaken by the City Council.
Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926
Four (6) samples were taken during the year, two being fertilisers, one a plant food and one a
garden compound manure.
Three were satisfactory but the report on the garden compound manure indicated that the
insoluble phosphoric acid content was 1.1 per cent, more than the stated amount, although in
the opinion of the Public Analyst this difference was not to the prejudice of the purchaser.
The matter was taken up with the manufacturers who mentioned that this problem was one which
was extremely difficult to solve. They dealt with large quantities of fish offal from fishmongers
and various small fishing ports and this raw material varied in composition. It was composted with
other organic matter and the resulting compound usually gave a reasonable average analysis.
However.difficulty occurred when a batch being processed happened to contain an excess of material
such as that received from a filleter which consisted largely of bones, this being a material which
provided the excess of insoluble phosphoric acid referred to.
Pharmacy and Poisons Acts 1933 and 1941
At the end of the year the names of 144 (143) traders were on the Council's lists of persons
entitled to sell poisons included in Part II of the poisons list, the number of premises concerned
being 195 (194).
Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials Act 1951
Under the provisions of this Act various types of premises concerned with the upholstery trade
and using or providing certain filling materials must be registered or licensed with the local
authority.
At the end of the year 24 premises were on the register and one was licensed for storage purposes.
Use of short wave radio communication
During the year, by the kind co-operation of the City Council's Director of Cleansing, the Food
Section had the temporary use of a two-way radio hand transmitting and receiving set. Urgent
calls received in the Health Department at City Hall during the day when the inspector in possession
of the set was out covering other duties were passed to him through the Council's Radio Control
Centre operated by the Cleansing Department. These related particularly to such things as food
poisoning investigations, and complaints of unfit food or unsatisfactory premises. Having only a
single set limited the calls to one inspector at a time but it added greatly to his mobility and saved
much time.
In addition the vehicle used by the Food Section for general duties, including the collection
of unsound food, was fitted experimentally with a two-way radio which also operated through the
Council's Radio Control Centre. It proved a very useful link between the officers on the van and their
base and, like the hand set, enabled immediate and effective action to be taken on important
matters which would otherwise have had to wait until the return of the inspector to the office
at the end of the day. The prompt service thus facilitated has undoubtedly been welcomed by
the public, and arrangements have been made to continue the scheme on a permanent basis.