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34
A close watch was kept on advances in the insecticide field and the Council's
specifications for these preparations were kept up to date for the various requirements;
they were based mainly on the use of D.D.T. and Gammexane.
Considerable attention was also given to matters concerning industrial hygiene
and safety, some instances of which occur in other sections of this report; others
were warnings in regard to the precautions necessary in using a caustic soda jelly for
cleaning, and a paint remover. Advice was also given on disinfection problems.
Public
control
Samples taken under the Fertilisers and Feeding stuffs Act, 1926 (under which
the Chemist-in-Chief is the Official Agricultural Analyst for the County), were examined
as to whether they complied with the statutory statement of ingredients which is
required to be given with every sale and also (in the case of feeding stuffs) as to their
freedom from deleterious substances. Several were reported upon adversely. Many
samples were also examined under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928, the
London Building Act, 1930, and the Explosives Acts. The first concerned the issue
of licences for the storage of petroleum, or contraventions of the provisions of the
Act. One particular case was of special interest. It was a proposed large petroleum
storage installation in somewhat difficult conditions from the aspect of the possible
corrosion of the tanks ; a protective system of painting with red lead, coating with
bitumen and subsequent installation of cathodic protection was recommended and
agreed.
Under the London Building Act, potentially dangerous businesses were inspected
in order to express an opinion on the risks involved, e.g. fire risk. The Explosives
Acts samples were concerned with the manufacture of indoor fireworks, some samples
being found to contain potentially explosive ingredients. Other statutory work was
in reference to the London County Council Celluloid Act, 1915, as to whether films
contained cellulose nitrate and were hence inflammable. Advice was also given,
when requested, in relation to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act,
as to the possibility of objection on the grounds of amenity to the setting up of new
industrial processes.
Many samples of bread were analysed under the Bread (Control and Maximum
Prices) Order, 1947, to determine whether the short weight supplied was due to the
bread being either " fancy bread " or " protein fortified." In some cases where this
was not so, legal proceedings were attended by an officer of the Chemical Branch to
support the certificate given. Premises of degreasers and rubber spreading works
operating under licence were visited periodically and samples of the atmosphere in the
machines were taken for subsequent analysis to ensure that the safety regulations
regarding the limitation of inflammable gases, derived from volatile solvents, were
being duly observed.
School and
other meals
The work done in co-operation with the Restaurants and Catering Department
was continued and many meals were analysed as to their nutritional value by the
determination of their fat, protein, carbohydrate and mineral contents. The results
generally showed a reasonable approximation to the targets aimed at for the several
nutritional factors for the various age groups concerned. A few whole-day food intakes
at nursery schools were also examined and found to be satisfactory.
The possible purchase of peeled potatoes preserved in sulphur dioxide solution
having been considered, it was advised that rigid control would be necessary to ensure
that none of this was retained in the cooked potatoes. The merits of various types of
insulated containers were assessed and the tarnishing of cutlery was investigated.
Parks
Chemical analyses and bacteriological examinations of the water of swimming
baths were made and the chlorine dosage being applied for sterilisation was checked,
recommendations for any necessary alteration of procedure being made as required.
During the bathing season all water used in the Council's public swimming baths is
chemically treated, filtered and chlorinated. As mentioned in the report for 1949, it