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etc.) Regulations, 1947, practically all possibility of control in
the cleanly handling and distribution of ice cream from a barrow
or cart disappeared on the ice cream being deposited into the
barrow or cart; for example, control of the cleanliness and good
health of the person selling ice cream on the street from the
barrow, the barrow being surrounded by children and other members
of the public, possible and real buyers.
To eliminate dangers from such absence of control it was
considered that ice cream from a barrow or cart on the street
should be sold wrapped, and representation was accordingly
made to the Minister enquiring if the Council could deal witn
the position by byelaw. The Minister, however, informed the
Council that such a matter would appear to fall for consideration
under his regulation-making powers in Section 8 (1) of the Food
and Drugs Act, 1938, and could not appropriately be dealt with
under byelaws.
Now (from 1st May,1947) the Ice Cream (Heat Treatment,
etc.) Regulations, 1947, are in force and a pamphlet has been
distributed to all persons registered, pointing out duties and
obligations with regard to premises and their cleanliness, the
cleanliness of utensils, cleanliness of persons engaged in its preparation,
storage and sale, reporting the occurrence of milk-borne
diseases, the avoidance of delay in a mix being frozen. In
view of the possibility of ice cream becoming infected with
various disease germs and so acting as a vehicle in the spread of
some dangerous illnesses, such points as these require constant
care and the strictest vigilance. Failure in any one of these
essentials may be the beginning of the train of circumstances
leading to disastrous results, for example, the spread of typhoid
fever, dysentery and similar diseases. Additional precautions
are recommended such as that any person suffering from diarrhœa,
realising the danger of spread, should Obtain medical advice before
resuming employment in connection with ice cream, as also should
any person suffering from whitlow or such like septic skin conditions.
A blood test is available which may assist to detect any
chronic typhoid or enteric carrier condition and proprietors of
ice cream premises are informed as a routine that arrangements
will be made for this test on application to the Public Health
Department. This test is carried out at the Central Public Health
Laboratory, Colindale.
Constant attention was given to the cleanliness of milk under
the Special Designations Orders. With recent developments in
the industry the larger firms are supplying a still greater number
of the public. In the report for the year 1936 it was remarked
that 92.6% of the milk delivered in Wembley was either tuberculin
tested, pasteurised or sterilised, the percentage of the milk
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