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samples to be examined bacteriologically do not exceed fifty, at a fee per sample
not exceeding ten shillings and sixpence, and that when the number of samples
has been exhausted the result be reported to the Vestry."
The samples are now being taken.
* The Report referred to was the following:—
Health Department,
St. Pancras,
31 sit May, 1897.
To the Health Committee.
Mr. Chairman, Madam, and Gentlemen—
Preparation, Storage, and Sale of Human Food in Unfit Places.
By letter, dated 22nd April, 1897, the Clerk of the Strand Board of Works
has forwarded a Resolution passed by his Board to your Vestry with regard to
the preparation, storage, and sale of food, which letter has been forwarded to
your Health Committee. The Resolution is to the effect that, " the Committee,
having had under consideration the fact that food is often prepared for sale and
sold in places (such as fried fish shops, ice cream shops, and dripping in rag and
bone shops), some of which are sanitarily unfit for the purpose, recommend that
the Local Government Board be requested to issue such regulations as will place
these places under more efficient control, and that a copy of this Resolution be
sent to the other Metropolitan Sanitary Autherities."
In addition to the above-mentioned articles of food may be mentioned milk,
butter, bread, cheese, bacon, lard, oil, stored and sold in places where paraffin,
blacking, turpentine, and various other disagreeable and sometimes injurious
substances are kept. Sometimes also food is prepared or stored in crowded dwelling
rooms or in proximity to sanitary conveniences. This applies particularly to
articles of confectionery.
It will be universally conceded that such an extremely perishable food as
milk is highly susceptible to the absorption of noxious odours, effluvia and
dangerous organisms, and should not be stored or sold in conjunction with other
substances than dairy products and human food.
Under these conditions, altheugh the Resolution of the Strand District Board
is not in a desirable form for your Committee to recommend and the Vestry to
adopt, I would beg to suggest that if the principle be approved by your Committee,
the latter part of the Resolution be worded as follows:—" That the Local
Government Board be requested to further such legislation as may be necessary to
enable Sanitary Autherities to prohibit and prevent che preparation, storage, or
sale of food in places which they may consider unfit for the purpose."
I have, &c.,
John F. J. Sykes.
A communication was addressed by your Vestry to the Local Government
Board to that effect.