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Legal sanctions and official inspections can achieve much,
hut it must be remembered that the public themselves can also
assist in the campaign for cleaner food by favouring with their
custom the clean shop rather than the dirty shop, by complaining
and criticising in no uncertain terms any obvious breach of hygiene
and by imposing a standard which they expect to be observed by
shop-keepers and food handlers whom they patronise.
WASHING FACILITIES IN PUBLIC SANITARY
CONVENIENCES.
Prior to 1953, in eachPublic Sanitary Convenience administered
by the Sanitary Authority there was provided only one water closet
and one wa6h-hand basin for use by members of the public free of
charge. For the use of all other water closets the charge was a penny,
and for the use of wash-hand basins and towels the charge was
threepence
As the imposition of charges for such services appeared to be in
conflict with hygienic teaching, especially in respect of persons
handling food, towards the end of 1952 the following report was
submitted to the Sanitary Authority by the Medical Officer of
Health.
" Most outbreaks of food poisoning have been traced to food
prepared or eaten outside the home, and one healthy carrier of
pathological enteric organisms may be responsible for the illness of
many people by lack of cleanliness in the preparation of food.
In consequence of the great increase during recent years of cases of
food poisoning, a Clean Food Campaign has been sponsored by the
appropriate central government departments, with the help of the
Central Council for Health Education.
In this Campaign your sanitary inspectors have taken a
prominent part, by drawing the attention of food handlers in
catering establishments to the association between clean hands and
6afe food, and posters on these lines have been displayed on public
hoardings, in clinic premises, and at 280, High Road, as part of the
Health Education for which Local Health Authorities are responsible
under the provisions of the National Health Service Act. Metal
plaques bearing the slogan " Always wash your hands after using