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Inspection of Dwelling-houses.—Number of houses inspected for defects under the Public Health or Housing
Acts—1,884; number of inspections made—5,494; number of houses found not to be in all respects reasonably fit
for human habitation—922; number of defective houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action—850 ;
number of houses in which defects were remedied by owners after service of formal notices under the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936—71; number of underground rooms in respect of which closing orders were made—nil.
Common Lodging Houses.—Forty-one visits were paid to the two lodging houses in the Borough : one, registered
for 436 men, owned by the Salvation Army and situated at No. 2, Burne Street and premises in Lisson Street; the
other, accommodating 100 women, conducted by the Church Army at Portman House, No. 10, Daventry Street.
SECTION E.—INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Food Analysis.—Samples of 84 different articles taken under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, numbered 700 (65 formal,
634 informal and 1 private sample) and included : milk 102, butter 94, margarine 60. The sum paid in respect of each
analysis was 15s. 0d., except in the case of sausages for which the fee was £1 Is. Od. per sample. Twelve samples reported
as adulterated or otherwise giving rise to irregularity are referred to by the Public Analyst (Mr. Thomas McLachlan)
in the following report: " The percentage of adulterated samples this year is lower than for the two previous years,
being only 1.7 per cent., though this is still higher than in pre-war years. A sample of coffee submitted informally was
found to contain not more than 70 per cent, of coffee, and a formal sample obtained later was found to be even worse
inasmuch as it contained only 60 per cent, of coffee and 40 per cent, of chicory. A novel type of adulteration was
encountered in connection with two samples of sherbet, in which the sugar had been replaced by a small quantity of
saccharin to sweeten it and a large volume of kaolin, or china clay, to give it bulk. Such a preparation is obviously
unsuitable for children. A sample of meat received was found to consist of horseflesh. Whilst the shortage of beef
continues there is a great temptation for restaurateurs to sell horseflesh steaks instead of beef steaks, because the
general public is unable to distinguish between the two, though it is probable that the chief objection to eating horseflesh
is one of prejudice rather than anything else. Exception was taken to a sample of mixed herbs which contained
14 per cent, of mineral matter and which was not labelled according to the provisions of the Labelling Order, which
require the names of the herbs present to be declared. A sample of baking powder had become damp and consequently
was 20 per cent, deficient in available carbon dioxide. The Baking Powder and Golden Raising Powder Order requires
baking powder to contain not less than 8 per cent, of available carbon dioxide. This Order is an exa'mple of the fixing
of a standard which is of benefit to the manufacturer, the vendor and the public, since there can now be no argu mcnt
as to the fitness or otherwise of a baking powder for use. Salt is still being added by a certain vinegar brewer to his
product to keep it from being attacked by moulds, but in the opinion of your Analyst this should be declared, if used,
and an adverse report was therefore issued on a sample of vinegar from this source. A sample of tomato ketchup was
fermenting when received at the laboratory, and one of gooseberry jam was deficient in sugar, the total sugar being
only 58 per cent, instead of about 65 per cent., so that this jam would have moulded quite readily. A sample of whisky
contained about 5 per cent, excess water, and one of tincture of iodine was 14 per cent, deficient in iodine. During the
year the Labelling Order was revised to include various restrictions on wines, cocktails and spirits, and the Soft Drinks
Order was amended to allow of the use of more sugar in soft drinks, but also, at the same time, to permit of the use of
tartaric acid or phosphoric acid in place of citric acid, so long as the drink is merely a flavoured drink and does not
contain actual fruit juice."
Legal Proceedings.—Of the twelve samples adversely reported upon by the Public Analyst, proceedings were
instituted under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, in two instances. In regard to the sample of coffee found to contain
40 per cent, of chicory, taken under Section 3, the case was dismissed on payment of £4 4s. Od. costs by the defendants ;
and for possessing horse flesh for the purpose of sale for human consumption without displaying the requisite notice, the
defendant was fined £7 10s. Od. under Section 38, and £5 5s. Od. costs were awarded to the Council. In the remaining
instances legal proceedings were not advised and the matter in each case was taken up with the manufacturer, wholesaler
or retailer concerned.
Bacteriological Examinations.—One sample each of yoghourt, cooked meat and clotted spread were examined
bacteriologically and found to contain no food poisoning organisms. Examinations of milk and ice cream are referred
to in succeeding paragraphs.
Milk.—There are 156 premises from which milk is sold. Inspections made numbered 229.
During the year 37 applications under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations, 1936-1946, were received from
15 milk purveyors and licences were granted as follows : 1 pasteurising, 18 dealers' and 3 supplementary in the case of
pasteurised milk ; 1 bottling, 12 dealers' and 2 supplementary in respect of tuberculin tested milk.
The average composition of the 102 samples of milk analysed was : total solids, 12.39% ; fat, 3.63% ; solids not
fat, 8.76%. No sample was found to be below standard.
At the request of the Ministry of Food, 99 samples of milk, taken from two authorised wholesale firms operating heattreatment
plants, were submitted to the tests prescribed for the various designations. The Ministry's Area Milk Officer
was advised of the results, which were satisfactory except in the case of one sample of sterilised milk which failed to
pass the phosphatase test. Six other samples of milk examined bacteriologically were found to comply with the
requisite standards.
Butter and Margarine Premises.—At the end of the year there were on the register 15 dealers in margarine and
2 butter manufacturers. Thirty-six inspections were made.
Ice Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 78, and 167 inspections were made. Two samples of ice
cream were examined bacteriologically and found to be satisfactory. One sample of ice cream showed a high bacterial
content but no evidence of faecal contamination. As the ice cream in this case was manufactured outside the Borough,
the matter was taken up with the Medical Officer of Health of the area concerned, who subsequently reported that
changes in processing and sterilisation of equipment had been made and that further samples were being taken to
ensure that a satisfactory hygienic standard was achieved and maintained.