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The importation of pharmaceutical livers is free from criticism because these are usually
dyed and no difficulties are experienced in exercising proper control.
Control difficulties arise in the first instance from the fact that on the ships' manifest meat
"not for human consumption" is not usually shown separately from meat for human consumption,
and thus the Port Health Inspector is not warned of its entry. Agreement has been reached
between Riparian Medical Officers of Health that movement from the area of one authority to
another be notified but this is of course only possible upon knowledge of entry in the first
instance.
Apart from the matter of imported meat and offals, it is, I consider, a necessary precaution
on public health grounds that all meat, offals, etc. condemned as unfit for human consumption
as a result of slaughter or inspection should be sterilized and stained. It has always been the
practice at Smithfield Market that condemned meat and offals are stained before removal by the
Corporation's contractors for processing.
Bearing in mind the possibility of communication of disease from animal to man it would
appear that sterilization and staining is preferable to sterilization or staining as an alternative.
Representations on this matter have been made to the Ministry concerned and it is hoped that
Regulations giving the control considered to be necessary will be made in the near future.
Transport and Handling of Meat
The Food Hygiene Regulations as from the 1st July, 1956 replaced the Sections of the
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, which enforced hygienic transport and handling of meat.
In addition, they prohibit spitting, smoking, or the use of snuff, by persons engaged in the
handling of open food. They also stipulate that any cuts or abrasions on an exposed part of a
food handler's body should be covered with a suitable waterproof dressing.
Very little difficulty was experienced in the enforcement of these Regulations in this connection,
the no doubt irksome requirement in regard to smoking being accepted philosophically
in the shops and markets by employees,but it is hard on them to see customers setting them such
a bad example in so many instances, especially as the customers are not liable to prosecution
under the regulations.
FOOD HYGIENE REGULATIONS, 1955 (CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS)
Messrs. Thompson and Flynn, the two public health inspectors who specialise in the hygiene
of catering establishments, report to the following effect
During the year under review, steady if at times slow, progress has been made in securing
structural improvements and better facilities and amenities in catering establishments throughout
the City. It should always be remembered, however, that the provision of satisfactorily designed
and constructed kitchen and ancillary rooms is merely a necessary preliminary to the maintenance
of hygienic conditions. Education in hygienic practices and habits is a continuous process
of which it is difficult to see the end. The attitude of the catering industry has on the whole
been co-operative, but because of a variety of circumstances, the progress and completion of
essential improvements has been slower than we should have liked. Continuing the department's
tradition of "peaceful persuasion" no legal proceedings were instituted during the year under
review.
As indicated in previous reports, it is impossible to attempt to measure the progress made
in any one year because so much work is in hand at any one time and there is so much overlap
from year to year. It may not always be appreciated that some of the transformations effected in
catering establishments in order to raise hygienic standards are so considerable that from the
date of the initial inspection of the premises to the completion of all the necessary works, an
interval of two years may elapse, involving a comparatively large capital outlay which cannot be
made until there has been a very careful and thorough appraisal of the economics of each and
every proposal.
Since the end of the war and after the enforced neglect of the war years, continuous and
strenuous efforts have been made to bring all City catering premises up to an acceptable standard
and it is sometimes asked when this objective will be finally reached. To this question
it is impossible to give a satisfactory answer because conditions and standards are always
changing. For example, a restaurant or cafe or snack-bar maybe quite satisfactory today but, in
say six months' time, because pf a change of tenant, alteration in the type of trade, increased
business, or some other incalculable or unforeseen circumstances, the same premises may have
deteriorated to such a degree as to be unrecognisable This continuous process of change
makes it impossible to state at any given time exactly how many premises are considered to be
in a satisfactory condition and how many are unsatisfactory. What can be said is that there has
been a great improvement in structural conditions and in the provision of necessary facilities
such as adequate washing-up sinks and machines, hot water installations, mechanical ventilating
plants, essential staff amenities, etc. Undoubtedly conditions in City catering premises are
to-day better than they have ever been before. At the same time, it would be unwise to suggest
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