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

London County Council 1907

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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75
(c) the floors must be kept in good condition and drained in such manner as will allow the water to flow
off freely. This Act came into force on the 1st January, 1908.
Places where food is prepared jor sale.
The annual reports show that the powers conferred on Sanitary Authorities by the Council's
General Powers Act of 1902 for controlling the conditions under which ice cream is prepared for sale,
have been usefully administered during the year. In a few of the reports the unsatisfactory conditions
found in the vendor s premises and which needed remedy are specified. These conditions related in
the main to want of cleanliness and appear to have been found for the most part on premises occupied
by foreigners who are largely employed in this trade. In one or two of the reports it is stated that as
the result of administration there has been considerable improvement in the conditions under which
ice creams are manufactured.
In the following table the numbers of these premises in the several sanitary areas and other
particulars are shown.

Table: Ice cream premises.

Ice cream premises.

Sanitary area.Number of places.No. of inspections 1907.No. of notices 1907.No. of prosecutions 1907.
On register at end of 1906.Added in 1907.Removed in 1907.On register at end of 1907.
Paddington14617140141
Kensington14619-16531237
Hammersmith205152020079537-
Fulham10555315722515--
Chelsea39-39212
Westminster, City of11639-155155-
St. Marylebone84
Hampstead726-781774- ]
Islington230--23024222-
Stoke Newington3436
Hackney15814114113
Holborn4256411182-
Finsbury984129019933-
London, City of2332071
Shoreditch691728415821-
Bethnal Green68131071265351
Stepney86898515530-
Poplar13913027313-
Southwark8483201
Bermondsey70--7029154—
Battersea104161011028418-
Wandsworth229363023532339-
Camberwell233272223846716-
Deptford11419121212175-
Greenwich106221011814852
Woolwich682012762193

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The inspection of other premises where food is prepared for sale was continued during the year
and this inspection is now part of the systematic work undertaken by the sanitary authorities. Such
places are " workplaces " within the meaning of the Factory and Workshop Act, but except in the
matter of sanitary conveniences, there were no powers applicable to these premises other than the
general powers of the Public Health (London) Act. With a view to the better control of the conditions
under which food is prepared for sale the Council resolved to include in their General Powers Bill of
1908 provisions relating to this subject and these provisions after some modification have been since
sanctioned by Parliament.
The trades carried on in these premises are of a varied sort. Restaurant kitchens
especially were under observation and in a number of instances were improved, the Council's by-law
prohibiting direct communication between water closets and such places being utilized for this purpose.
In the reports relating to the Cities of London and Westminster and to the Metropolitan
Boroughs of Islington and Finsbury, the condition of basement kitchens is particularly referred to.
The number of premises where food is dealt with which were brought under inspection in the
several sanitary areas and the number of inspections so far as this information can be gathered from
the annual reports is shown in the following table:—