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
Willesden 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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One sample (No. 0/502, representing 2 per cent. of the total number sampled) was found
to contain tubercle bacilli, and action was taken resulting in an examination of the herds at the
supplying farm situate in the county of Buckingham.
The other 47 samples showed no evidence of tuberculosis.
The following are particulars of the positive sample:—
0/502.—A cow giving tuberculous milk found in the ordinary course of the County Council's
work a few days after the infected sample was taken in Willesden was slaughtered
under the Tuberculosis Order. This cow appeared to be responsible for the infection.
Meat Inspection.—The Inspectors visit the slaughter-houses at the times set apart for
slaughtering and examine the carcases and organs for evidence of disease. Shops and stalls are also
kept under close observation.
The number of private slaughter-houses in use in the area at the dates mentioned was :—
Table No. 11.
| In 1920. | 1925. | 1937. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Licensed | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 9 | 8 | 3 |
Table No . 12.
The following Table shows the number of carcases inspected and the number of condemnations:—
| Cattle, excluding cows. | Cows. | Calves. | Sheep and lambs. | Pigs. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number killed | 98 | - | 40 | 635 | 242 |
| Number inspected | 90 | - | 35 | 419 | 218 |
| All diseases (except T.B.), whole carcase condemned | - | - | - | - | - |
| Carcases where part or organs condemned | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Percentage of number inspected affected other than T.B. | 1% | - | - | - | - |
| Whole Carcases condemned | — | — | — | - | — |
| Carcases, part, or organs condemned | 3 | - | - | - | 10 |
| Percentage of number inspected affected with tuberculosis | 3.3 | — | — | — | 4.5 |
Inspection and Supervision of Other Foods.—Inspections were made of all the bakehouses
and other premises in the district where food is prepared.
The 61 bakehouses in the district were inspected on 129 occasions, Notices being served in
22 instances for minor contraventions of the Factory and Workshop Act.
Sale of Beer in Public Houses.—An inspection has been made of some 52 public houses in
this area. The conditions found were generally satisfactory. The cellars are regularly washed down and
the walls regularly limewashed. The glasses used are cleansed after use and the wash-up sinks for this
purpose are fitted with hot and cold water supplies. The pumps and pipe lines are dismantled weekly,
soaked in hot soda water overnight and rinsed in cold water next morning. In some cases glass or
stainless steel is used instead of lead piping and in other cases it was stated that the lead piping would
be replaced by one or other of these materials. The surplus beer from the serving returns to the barrels
through the utiliser filter and this appears to be a satisfactory arrangement. Waste beer, on the other
hand, is specially collected in a separate barrel and returned to the brewers.
In this area the brewers send their own inspectors frequently round the public houses. These
inspectors examine and report on the cleanliness of bars, engines, pipe lines, cellars, temperature and
storage. A record card of each inspection and report is kept by the publican and a number of these have
been seen by the Sanitary Inspectors of this Department.