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33
DEPARTMENTAL.
During the year the work of the department was carried on on the lines
laid down in the scheme of re-organisation of 1908, and this, despite the fact that
one Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Young), who had been responsible largely for
preparing the scheme, left, and another (Dr. Porter) took his place.
The staff of the Public Health Department during the greater part of 1909,
included, in addition to the Medical Officer of Health, a deputy Medical Officer
(Dr. J.R. Prior), 2 Drainage Inspectors, 1 Outdoor Superintendent, 1 Meat and
Food Inspector, 4 District Inspectors, 3 Women Sanitary Inspectors (including
one temporary), 1 Dust Inspector, 1 Chief and 2 Assistant Clerks, and an Office
Youth. In addition to this staff, there are under the control of the Committee
the Keeper of the Public Mortuary, the Matron and staff of the Shelter Baths, 2
disinfectors, the men and women attendants at the conveniences, and the men
employed in flushing the overground conveniences.
It is proposed to deal in this part of the report with the work of each of the
above-named inspectors or groups of inspectors, but it may be said at once that
practically without exception all the members of the staff—clerks, inspectors,
etc.—have worked well during the year, and have in every way sought to make
the working of the department under the new scheme as successful as possible.
PROTECTION OF THE FX)OD SUPPLY.
To all intents and purposes this portion of the report is concerned with the
work of a new branch of the department. Prior to 1909 the meat and food
supplies have been supervised, and sampling under the Sale of Food and Drugs
Acts carried out, by each district inspector in his own area. At the beginning of
the year, however, an inspector responsible for this work exclusively was
appointed, and to him was entrusted the duty of examining foods in shops, etc.;
inspecting premises in which food was sold, stored or prepared, e.g., milkshops
and stores, kitchens of restaurants, bakehouses, ice cream shops, slaughterhouses,
cowhouses, etc. He was also expected to take in hand the sampling of food and
drugs throughout the Borough under the appropriate Acts.
Food Inspection.—The work of inspecting and examining food, meat, etc.,
stored or exposed for sale was carried on regularly throughout the year, the food
inspector and certain of the inspectors specially qualified as meat inspectors
taking it in turn to carry out Saturday night and Sunday morning inspections.
Taking advantage of the provision which allows purveyors of meat, etc., to
submit articles to inspectors for examination and to voluntarily surrender food
found by them to be unsound, several butchers and other food retailers in the
Borough handed over considerable quantities of food for destruction. To such,