London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hendon 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hendon]
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Water closets or lobbies incorrectly being used for storage
purposes 3
Yards etc. requiring cleaning up 1
Arrangements for sterilising of ice cream serving equipment
unsatisfactory 5
In addition, ice cream is sold at 50 hotels, restaurants, and cinemas, which are
not registrable under the Act, and also from a number of mobile vans.
153 samples of ice cream were taken during the year and submitted to the Central
Public Health Laboratory Service for bacteriological examination and grading according
to the Ministry of Health's Provisional Grading Scheme, with the following results
Grades 1 and 2 are satisfactory.
Grade 3 calls for investigation of the methods of production and/or handling.
Grade 4 is unsatisfactory.
| No. of Samples Taken | Results | |
|---|---|---|
| Prepacked | 90 | Grade 1 |
| 20 | " 2 | |
| 1 | " 3 | |
| 2 | '' 4 | |
| Loose | 13 | " 1 |
| 4 | " 2 | |
| 2 | " 3 | |
| 21 | 4 | |
| TOTAL | 153 |
As will be seen, little trouble is experienced from ice cream sold prepacked as
received from the suppliers, but fairly frequent inspections and supervision of the
methods used in handling loose ice cream, particularly in restaurants and cafes, have
been found to be necessary. The lack of or inadequate use of a suitable sterilant in
which to keep the servers and the leaving of conservators open for prolonged periods
exposing the contents to falling dust, etc., have been found to be the principal
causes of the unsatisfactory samples. When unsatisfactory samples are obtained the
supplies are check-sampled as they are received from the suppliers and have invariably
been found to be satisfactory.
After the cause of the unsatisfactory samples has been ascertained and rectified,
repeat samples are taken from time to time to ensure that proper methods of handling
are maintained.
511 visits were paid by the Public Health Inspectors to ice cream premises during
the year.
79