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The Health of Barking
The year has been significant in new health records and in this regard it is
proper for the Council to take credit for the health services it has provided, including
its health teaching.
CLEAN FOOD CAMPAIGN—PUBLIC CONVENIENCES.
In order to assist in a practical way, the Council has arranged for free washing
facilities in the public conveniences under its control, particularly for the use of
persons engaged in handling food, such as bread and milk roundsmen.
ICE CREAM.
Reference was made in my report for the year 1947 to the absence of any
chemical and bacteriological standards. Whilst that position remains unchanged
so far as statutory standards are concerned, progress has been made.
It is now recognised with regard to the fat content a maximum of 2.5 per cent,
can easily be achieved. In Barking the average was 6.02 per cent. with a peak of
9.80 per cent—the minimum was 2.80 per cent.
With the coming of the Heat Treatment Regulations, 1947, many improvements
were effected, and by using the provisional grading of the Ministry of Health a
better bacteriological picture of the quality of the ice-cream sold in the Borough
was available.
There are 87 premises registered and of these four only are used for manufacture
and the remainder for retail generally of pre-packed ice-cream.
During the year 72 samples were submitted for examination. It was unnecessary
to remove any registered person from the register.
MILK SUPPLY.
There are no cowkeepers in the district and we have no dairies where milk is
handled or treated.
There are 28 premises on the register for the retail of pre-packed supplies.
In addition, there are six milk purveyors who occupy premises in other districts,
but who retail in Barking.
In Appendix F a table is given which sets out the results of the bacteriological
examination of various samples.
The whole of the milk distributed in the Borough is heat-treated except for
about 40 gallons per day of raw designated milk.
There were, during the year, 71 samples of milk submitted to biological
examination for the presence of tubercle.
In three cases the guinea pig died prematurely.
In no case was there a positive result.
The following table shows the number of licences granted during the year for
the ile of graded milks under the Milk (Special Designations) Orders, 1936 and
1938 :—
Tuberculin Tested 6
Pasteurised 6
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