London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Barnet 1968

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnet]

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43
Markets
There are two markets in the Borough; one owned by the Council at Burnt Oak and
known as the Watling Market; operates on one day a week only. The other, privately
owned, is at Barnet, and opens two days a week.
Hawkers
Hawkers of food and their storage premises in those areas covered by the former
Middlesex County Council are required to be registered under Section 11 of the
Middlesex County Council Act 1950; at the close of the year there were 73 such
hawkers on the register.
Poultry Inspection
(1) Number of poultry processing premises within the district 1
(2) number of visits to these premises 7
(3) total number of birds processed during the year 1968 10,759
(4) types of birds processed Hens
(5) percentage of birds rejected as unfit for human consumption None
(6) weight of poultry condemned as unfit for human consumption None
(7) The live birds are bought by individual selection from farms in Hertfordshire. Any
birds which do not show a healthy live appearance are isolated, killed and, if
diseased, disposed of at the farms.
The processing premises consist of a building divided into two sections — for
killing and for dressing. The staff engaged in the business are the proprietor, one
male employee, and one female employed part-time.
The birds are killed by dislocation of the neck and are not eviscerated. The
carcases are immersed in a thermostatically controlled scalding tank and plucked
in an electric defeatherer. They are delivered the same or the following day after
slaughter to butchers in the Golders Green, Finchley, Harrow, Tottenham, Watford,
Elstree and Cockfosters areas for sale in the fresh trade.
As the birds are uneviscerated, inspection at the place of slaughter is limited
but doubtful carcases are retained and inspected in accordance with the procedures
recommended in Circular 22/61,of the Ministry of Health.
Labelling of Food
The Labelling of Food Order 1953 requires that foodstuffs should have informative
labelling which does not mislead the purchaser. Generally all prepacked foods should