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MEDICAL OFFICERS ANNUAL REPORT SHEET 17 OF DRAFT.
the cause of a considerable amount of those digestive troubles which
every medical practitioner notices during a period of warm weather.
Although the heat of cooking destroys the greater portion of the
germs and moulds it does not render harmless the products of their
growth and greater care and cleanliness in the handling of meat would
not only prevent to a large extent the waste that annually takes place
at all the large markets and stores but would substantially reduce
those gastre-intestinal troubles that are always prevalent during the
"hot months" of the year.
Fish
There are five fish shops in the district three of which sell
cooked fish during a portion of the day.
The fish offered for sale is generally of very good quality and
all the fish vendors if in doubt as to the condition of their wares
consult your Sanitary Inspector before offering it for sale.
Owing to the fish being boxed at the port of entry before being
dispatched to the markets it is one of the cleanest food stuffs we have
on the other hand it is of a delicate texture and will not keep good so
long as meat. Sometimes we find that good fish has been spoiled by
being put into unclean boxes but such happenings are rare.
The practice of continually washing fish to freshen it up is not so
prevalent as formerly and ice safes are more often used.
The fish frying ranges in those shops selling cooked fish are of
modern type and very well kept and there is no doubt that the fried
fish sold in this district is a clean and wholesome article of food.
It has been noticeable for some years past that the dried fish
such as haddock and fish fillets and kippers have been hygienically
packed in clean well fastened deal boxes; some of the kippers are
wrapped in transparent wrappers before boxing and the fish need not
be touched by hand from the packing shed to the cooking utensil.
This practice is to be commended as it would not be worth while to so
treat fish of doubtful quality.
Vegetables.
There are 10 greengrocers shops In the District. Supplies are
obtained from the London Markets and the quality of the wares are very
good.
Itinerant vendors of food stuffs.
There are four regular hawkers of food stuffs in the district who do
not possess any shop premises. Their wares are chiefly fish, rabbits,
fruit and vegetables. It is practically impossible for food to be
hawked about in an open poney or donkey cart without becoming
contaminated, and we have no knowledge where the unsold food Is
stored during the night. The itinerant butcher has not been observed In
the district for some years.
Milk.
There is one producer who is also a milk retailer and 6 milksellers
having shop premises in the district. It is satisfactory to note that
the milk selling from open vessels in the small general shop has
ceased in this district your officers having persuaded the shopkeepers
to give up this part of their business. There are several small
general shops that sell milk sterilized in sealed bottles.
Building operations hive greatly curtailed the grazing land in the
Central Ward and the producer now keeps a small herd In the cowshed
for the greater part of the year. This Cowshed and Dairy premises
has been redraincd and the yard properly concreted. One large retailer
has installed a modern milk cleaning and pasteurising plant but it