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24
The number of Certificates of Food Hygiene awarded during
the year to proprietors of food establishments increased by 8 to a
total of 57.
During 1953, 2134 inspections of food premises were made by
the Santary Inspectors and 315 repairs and improvements were
carried out.
In addition to the lectures to Food Handlers the talks by
Sanitary Inspectors to "school leavers" in the Secondary Grammar
and Secondary Modern schools in the Borough have been given
regularly. 28 talks were given during the year to approximately
1,000 school children. I would like to take this opportunity of
expressing my appreciation to the Borough Education Officer and
the Head Teachers for their co-operation and assistance which has
been so generously given.
It is anticipated that the Food & Drugs legislation shortly
to be enacted will strengthen the powers of local authorities for
improving Food Hygiene standards. This legislation will undoubtedly
add to the duties at present performed by the Sanitary
Inspectors, but the work carried out in this Borough over the last
four years has to some extent anticipated certain aspects of the new
legislation and the staffing problem will not present the difficulties
which it otherwise might have done.
(It is a matter of interest that on the 1st April, 1954, new
Regulations came into force requiring notification of certain
diseases and requiring precautionary measures to prevent food
poisoning. These Regulations give the Medical Officer of Health
considerable power in preventing the continuation in employment
of persons coming into either the category of suffering from or
being the carriers of certain diseases. This power may prove of
considerable value in emergency.)
A proposal was placed before the Council that the Public
Health Department should prepare a film strip in colour for the
sum of £65 to accompany the Clean Food lectures which are a
regular feature of the winter programme. This film strip was
produced during the year and has proved of great value in the work
of the department. The cartoons for the strip were designed by
Mr. A. Wurmser who also undertakes cartoons and diagrams for
the B.B.C. Television service. The strip has been purchased by a
number of other Local Authorities for use in their departments.
It is intended that a further strip shall be made at a later date
to illustrate any new legislation that may be brought into force in
the near future.
A special broadcast was made on Food Hygiene by the B.B.Cin
December 1953 at which a report on the position in various parts
of the country was made and a special interview with the Medical