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the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
that there was some slight association between this disease
and inoculation procedures carried out within one month
of the onset of illness. The majority of the Borough cases
occurred in the Welling area and, as one case had
occurred where this association had been noted,
immunisation was suspended at the Welling clinics for
a period and resumed as soon as any possible danger had
passed. Concurrently, arrangements were made through
the Hospital Management Committees to suspend tonsils
operations during the period of maximum incidence of
this disease.
In regard to inoculation in relation to poliomyelitis,
methods have now been found to diminish any risk to
negligible proportions, and it is self-evident that nothing
should be allowed to interfere with the successful
prosecution of the diphtheria immunisation campaign
which has been largely responsible for the freedom from
this disease which we now enjoy.
On the 1st May, 1950, a Food Traders' Guild was
set up, comprising representatives of the local authorities
and food traders, with a view to the carrying out of a
Clean Food Campaign for the area of Bexley, Erith and
Crayford. The 'Guild has had several meetings and has
now approved Codes of Practice for most of the food
trades. Approval of the remaining Codes should be
obtained in the near future when this work will enter a
new and more strenuous phase of inviting applications
from the food traders for membership of the Guild and
the inspection of their premises to ensure that they
comply, in all respects, with the requirements of the
appropriate Codes. A programme of health education is
also being arranged with the object of bringing home to
food handlers, in the three districts, their responsibilties
to the public in regard to the clean preparation and
handling of food. A Clean Food Exhibition was planned
during the latter part of the year and was successfully
held in May, 1951. This wort tends to be rather slowmoving
but this is not necessarily a disadvantage. It
enables due consideration to be given to important detail
and allows for a closer co-operation with the food traders
themselves who are invited to the meetings at which the
Codes are considered. Looked at as a long term essay
in health education the Clean Food Campaign, it is
hoped, will, in time, result in the raising of standards
of food hygiene in the districts concerned.
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