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139
To take such precautions as will ensure that sound fish is placed in clean
boxes appears so obviously common sense, even in their own financial interests,
that it is difficult to see how responsible tradesmen can afford to neglect it,
even should they be totally regardless of the most elementary principles of
modern hygiene.
INSPECTION OF FOOD AT RIVERSIDE WHARVES, &c.
As the result of the daily inspection of the City wharves, 110 loads of
unsound food were removed from these places during the year by the
Cleansing Department.
The material so disposed of comprised:—
Tons
Cwts.
Qrs.
Tinned fruit and vegetables
37
5
3
Condensed milk
12
10
2
Miscellaneous tinned food
47
11
0
Fruit pulp
26
3
3
Fruit and vegetables
7
18
2
Miscellaneous food
1
16
0
Total
133
5
3
The greater portion of the above was removed at the written request of
the owners. Section 47 (8) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
provides that—
"Where a person has in his possession any article which is unsound
"or unwholesome or unfit for the food of man, he may, by written
"notice to the Sanitary Authority, specifying such article, and containing
"a sufficient identification of it, request its removal, and the Sanitary
"Authority shall cause it to be removed as if it were trade refuse."
This provision takes away the ground of a common defence in prosecutions
for being in possession of unsound food. It has often been suggested that
the food was set aside with the intention of destroying it before it was
discovered by the Inspector. This power to notify to Sanitary Authorities
under this section affords a test where this line of defence is adopted.
Additional powers with regard to dealing with imported food have now
been conferred upon your Officers by the Regulations made by the Local
Government Board under the provisions of the Public Health (Regulations
as to Food) Act, 1907.