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52
SECTION J.
HEALTH EDUCATION.
A Clean Food Exhibition and Film Show was held in the
Civic Hall on Monday, 25th June, 1951. It was attended by
members of the staffs of food shops, school and works canteens
and food handlers generally. One hundred and thirty-one people
were present including the Chairman of the Council, the ViceChairman
of the Public Health Committee and several members
of the Council.
Three films were shown, namely :— "Another Case of Food
Poisoning," " The Town Rat " and " Catering." They were very
much enjoyed and invoked a good deal of interesting discussion.
Items in the exhibition included (1) a "Prevention of Food
Poisoning " display set which showed the various ways in which
food can become infected and cause food poisoning and also how
this can be prevented. (2) a Clean and Contaminated Milk
Bottle display which emphasised the care that should be taken
to rinse the bottles thoroughly after emptying and to protect
them from gross contamination before returning them to the
milk roundsman. (3) a Sampling Display unit which showed the
types of food and drugs which are sent to the Analyst for routine
examination. A brief description of the legal standard of composition
was given with each article. (4) a display of Tinned
Food which had been condemned for various reasons.
The exhibition attracted much attention and the Inspectors
had many questions to answer, particularly on the " sampling "
display. People generally were surprised to learn of the
thoroughness employed in the routine checking of food supplies.
The question of giving talks to shop staffs, immediately after
closing hours, referred to in my last report, was dealt with in
the few cases where the numbers made it a practical proposition,
but towards the end of the year preliminary arrangements were
made to put another scheme in hand, the object of which is to
train one or two suitable members of the staff in each establishment
who can be made responsible under the management, for
calling attention to bad hygienic practices, etc. I hope to be in
a position to comment on the success, or otherwise, of this scheme
in my next report.