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 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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32
Milk and Dairies
Milk sales are regulated by the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, and the Milk and Dairies Regulations,
1949, made under sections 20 and 92 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. As mentioned in the previous
report, Willesden is now a specified area, and all milk sold by retail from October, 1951, has to be sterilised,
pasteurised, tuberculin tested, or accredited; the sale of raw milk is now prohibited. Almost all the milk within
the borough is processed and bottled by large dairies, but some of the milk is still bottled in the district.
Dairies—Registration and Licences
Premises in Willesden 106
Dairymen 82
Licences issued.
Pasteurised milk 88
Sterilised milk 96
Tuberculin tested milk 75
Premises outside Willesden 10
Dairymen 4
Licences issued.
Pasteurised milk 10
Sterilised milk 10
Tuberculin tested milk 10
Frequent inspections are made of the dairies. One dairy was found to have dirty walls and this defect
was remedied speedily. Milk sold in the borough is clean and pure. 292 samples were taken in 1952; 290
were satisfactory and 2 unsatisfactory, but second samples were up to standard.
FACTORIES
The total number of factories in the borough showed an increase of 1 over the previous year, but there was a reduction in non-mechanical factories from 79 to 74 and increase of mechanical factories from 804 to 810, making a total of 884 factories.
| Type of factory | 1.1.52 | Added to register | Deleted from register | Total 31.12.52 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-mechanical | 79 | 1 | 6 | 74 |
| Mechanical | 804 | 47 | 41 | 810 |
| Total | 883 | 48 | 47 | 884 |
The general improvement in the sanitary conditions of factories for which the local authority
is responsible (see 1949 annual report) has been maintained. The majority of the notices served have been
for minor defects and have been complied with in all cases without legal action.
The table shows the number of factories inspected, the defects found and the action taken.
| Type of factory | Inspected | Total Inspections | Unsatisfactory | Outstanding from 1951 | Made satisfactory 1952 | Outstanding 31.12.52 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-mechanical | 78 | 107 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 2 |
| Mechanical | 647 | 766 | 86 | 6 | 83 | 9 |
Defects in Non-Mechanical Factories:
| During 1952 | Outstanding from 1951 | Remedied during 1952 | Outstanding at 31.12.52 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Want of cleanliness | 6 | 2 | 8 | — |
| Overcrowding | — | — | — | — |
| Unreasonable temperature | — | — x | — | — |
| Inadequate ventilation | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| Defective drainage of floor | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Sanitary accommodation: | ||||
| Insufficient | 1 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Unsuitable or defective | 8 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Not separate for sexes | 1 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Defects of Sanitary Accommodation in Mechanical Factories: | ||||
| Insufficient | 1 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Unsuitable or defective | 86 | 5 | 82 | 9 |
| Not separate for sexes | 2 | 2 | ||