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B.—Public Health Legislation either enacted or coming into force during 1928:—
Public Health (Condensed Milk) Amendment Regulations.
Public Health (Dried Mi:k) Amendment. Regulations.
The above-mentioned regulations are primarily designed to secure that in the labelling
of condensed and dried skimmed milks greater prominence shall be given to the words " Unfit
for Babies," and that those words shall also be printed on the outside of any paper or other
wrapper in which tins of such milk may be enclosed.
Infectious Diseases (London) Regulations, 1927.
These came into force on 1st January, 1928, and deal with malaria, dysentery, acute
primary pneumonia, acute influenzal pneumonia, typhus fever, relapsing fever and enteric
fever.
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1928.
The above Act, which received the Royal assent on 3rd August, contains a number of
sections dealing with Public Health.
Sections 19 to 23 deal with disused drains, and require Owners or Occupiers of
premises to give notice in writing to the Local Authority of the existence of such drains.
Section 25 provides that a person having charge or control of premises in which is
lying the body of a person who has died from any notifiable infectious disease shall take such
steps as may be reasonably practicable to prevent persons coming into contact with the body
unnecessarily under a penalty.
Section 26 enables the Sanitary Authority, on a report from the Medical Officer of
Health, to apply to a Petty Sessional Court for an order for the removal of a verminous person
to a cleansing station.
Section 27 empowers the Medical Officer to apply for a warrant to enter any common
lodging house within the district, in which he believes there is a person who is suffering or has
recently suffered trom a notifiable infectious disease, for the purpose of examining the inmates.
Section 28 authorises the removal to a home or institution of certain aged, diseased or
infirm persons living under insanitary conditions. A formal resolution by the Council is
required authorising the Medical Officer of Health to take the necessary action in such cases
as may be found desirable.
The powers given by the above section are useful, and proceedings were taken during
the year with reference to an infirm and physically incapacitated woman, 81 years of age, who
was living alone in a room which was insanitary owing to her neglect.
The Medical Officer of Health attended the Court with the Inspector and the Relieving
Officer, and gave evidence. The Order was granted, and the woman was removed to the St.
Pancras Hospital.
This was the first case to be taken, in the Metropolis, under this Act.
Section 29 provides for the registration of premises used or proposed to be used for the
purpose of the sale, manufacture or storage of ice cream or other similar commodity with the
Sanitary Authority, and that no premises shall be used for these purposes unless registered.
Penalties are laid down for offences against the provisions of this section. The section will
not affect premises used as an hotel, restaurant or club, nor a factory or workshop where
notice is require 1 by sub-section (I) of Section 127 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.