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26
Inns, Refreshment Houses, etc.—Provision of Sanitary Conveniences.
Section 25 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1959, enables a borough council
to require the owner or occupier of any " refreshment house or place of public entertainment " to
provide and maintain sanitary conveniences for the use of persons frequenting the premises. Section
25 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1962, defined " refreshment house " as any
building in which food or drink is sold to and consumed by the public. There are 931 premises within
this category in the Borough and, at present, it would not be practicable to visit for the sole purpose
of deciding which of them should be required to provide sanitary accommodation. The policy is to
deal with this aspect during routine visits. In addition, opportunity is taken to secure the provision
when the premises are altered or rebuilt and to draw attention to the Council's powers on any land
charge enquiries regarding catering premises.
During the year the proprietors of one restaurant were required to provide sanitary accommodation.
Food and Catering Premises.
There are 1,551 of these premises in the Borough, details of which are given in Table 19, page 37,
and during the year 2,121 visits were made. In addition to the large number of defects dealt with
informally, the service of 138 notices was found necessary. The majority related to dirty conditions
arising from the lack of simple domestic cleaning of floors and equipment and the attitude that walls
can be ignored until the need for redecoration arises.
Much remains to be done in the field of food hygiene before a completely satisfactory standard is
reached beyond any possible risk to health.
Licensing Act, 1961.
Applications for registration certificates in respect of club premises are made to the Magistrate's
Court and the Council have the right to make objections on the grounds set out in Section 27 (2)
of the Act within 28 days from the date of application.
Forty-one applications were referred to the Department and a public health inspector visited
the premises to report on their suitability in regard to the requirements of public health and food
hygiene legislation.
Food Stalls.
During the year food was sold from 84 licensed stalls in street markets in the Borough and regular
inspections were made for compliance with the requirements relating to stalls in the Food Hygiene
Regulations and the London County Council Byelaws for the Protection of Food.
Horseflesh.
There are no shops in the Borough selling horseflesh for human consumption.
Slaughter of Animals.
There are no slaughterhouses in the Borough but in the grounds of the Zoological Society of London
for many years there has been a knacker's yard, licensed by the Council, where animals are slaughtered
for feeding purposes. Twelve inspections were made and conditions found to be satisfactory.
SECTION F.—INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES—PREVALENCE
AND CONTROL.
There was a decrease in the number of cases of infectious diseases reported in the Borough, 233
notifications being received against 428 the previous year. Of the total, measles accounted for 140,
the figures for 1963 and 1962 being 311 and 107 respectively. There were decreases also in puerperal
pyrexia with 4 cases against 22 in 1963, dysentery 4 cases against 11 the previous year, and whooping
cough 4 against 11 cases. One case of typhoid was reported but there was again no poliomyelitis or
diphtheria. Table 20, page 37, gives details of notifications and the age groups concerned.
Tuberculosis.
Table 20, page 37, gives information regarding primary notifications of pulmonary and non-pulmonary
tuberculosis received during the year. Table 21, page 38, shows the age and sex distribution of new
cases and of deaths from all forms of the disease, and Table 22, page 38, sets out the number of cases
on the Tuberculosis Register at the beginning and end of the year, with details of the adjustments made
in respect of new cases, transfers, deaths inwards and outwards and removals due to cases cured and
deceased.