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28
Following the receipt of a number of complaints concerning
pieces of glass in bottles of milk delivered (all by one firm) to a
local school, members of the Public Health Committee visited the
dairy. Certain adaptations of machinery were made and the complaints
have ceased.
In two instances, mouldy apple puffs, legal proceedings were
taken and a fine of £5 imposed in each case.
In one case the complainant refused to take part in legal
proceedings.
The normal method of disposing of unsound food is to use
the incinerator at the Council's Refuse Disposal Works. Occasionally
when there is a quantity of meat, it is disposed of, under
supervision, through the Council's waste food service; the meat is
previously cut up and dyed.
Slaughterhouses
As indicated in last year's report the Council refused the two
applications received for premises to be licenced.
In one case an appeal was lodged against the Council's
decision but was later withdrawn. There is, therefore, no slaughterhouse
in the Borough, but the needs of local butchers appear to
be adequately met by the facilities available in London.
The Council have been represented at the meetings of local
authorities held to consider the provision of a joint Municipal
Abbattoir for the South West area of Essex. In this connection
the report of the Inter-departmental Committee on Slaughterhouses
is still awaited.
Registration of Food Hawkers
Essex County Council Act, 1952 — Section 103
48 persons were registered as food hawkers together with 12
premises within the Borough. 16 of the applicants had premises
in adjoining districts and 20 were without storage premises.
Food Poisoning Outbreaks
During the year 11 cases of food poisoning were notified. The
causative organism was identified in the only outbreak which consisted
of two cases (two sisters aged 4 and 6 years). In the nine
single cases the cause was unknown.