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Food Hygiene
The training course instituted in 1960 for the Royal Institute of Public Health and
Hygiene Food Hygiene Certificate proved to be very popular particularly when nineteen
of the twenty candidates who sat the first examination were successful. The second
course for more staff of the same bakery was held early in 1961 and of the twenty-one
persons who attended the course, all passed the examination. A request was received
from another bakery for a similar course and this was arranged for the autumn. Thirteen
members attended the examination which was held in November.
Once more our thanks are due to Dr. E. A. Atkinson, Senior Pathologist at Oldchurch
Hospital for the bacteriological lectures and to Dr. W. J. Smither who gave
some of the food poisoning lectures. The remainder of the talks and demonstrations
were given by the staff of the Public Health Department.
Smoke Control
As survey work in connection with numbers two and three smoke control areas
progressed requests were received from various organisations for more information on
the subject of smoke control. The Gas Council film "Window to the Sky" was shown
to five different groups during 1961 and in each case a representative of the Health Department
gave a suitable talk and dealt with the numerous queries which always seem to
arise. There was no difficulty in starting a discussion on this subject, the problem was
only in terminating it after a reasonable time. Opinions on the subject of smoke control
are very divided amongst the general public but most people are quite willing to accept
it when the principles and details have been explained to them. There is room for more
work in this field.
Home Safety
The National Campaign of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for
the year 1960/1 on the subject of poisons and the displays mentioned in the 1960 report
were passed around the various clinics during the early part of 1961.
The theme of the 1961/2 campaign was 'fire prevention' and the co-operation of
the Essex County Fire Brigade was sought in the conduct of this campaign. A number of
display stands were used in the foyer of a local cinema and subsequently in the foyer of
the Civic Centre. Much of the material in the display was supplied by the fire brigade
and we are very grateful for their help in this matter. They were also good enough to
supply a speaker for a talk on fire prevention to the Childrens Club of the cinema which
was arranged in conjunction with our display.
A talk on home safety was also given by one of the health visitors to a group of
young wives from one of the local churches.
Town Show
Much publicity had been given during the year to the subject of the misuse of oil
heaters, so it was decided to arrange a display on this theme in the Town Show. The
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