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50
SECTION E.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOODS.
This service has been maintained at high pressure throughout
the year, during which time the Council adopted the model
byelaws with regard to the Handling, Wrapping and Delivery
of Food and Sale of Food in the Open Air.
The day to day task of stressing the importance of clean food
handling was supplemented, during November, by a highly
successful film show for food handlers. At the two performances,
given at the Public Library, there was an audience of some 350
people. The meetings were under the Chairmanship of the
Chairman of the Public Health Committee, the inaugural address
being given on both occasions by His Worship the Mayor.
Both the Mayor's address, and the films shown by the Central
Office of Information, were much appreciated by the audiences,
and the effort would appear to have been well worth while and
should bear fruit in the future.
Although this was the only large scale educational and
propaganda effort during the year, it might well be described as
the culmination of the constant work of the department on a
much more individual basis.
I am particularly grateful to the Mayor for his attendance
and interest, without which the meetings could hardly have been
such a great success as they undoubtedly were.
We have again been fortunate in avoiding any serious outbreak
of food poisoning because accidents will happen, however
good the technique in food handling may be, and when one
considers the number of people who must daily be exposed to
the potential risk of food poisoning, it is indeed a matter for
thankfulness that so few have been affected. It is also a warning
that the slightest relaxation in the watchfulness either of the
department or the traders could have serious repercussions on
the public health, and gives some small indication of the
magnitude of the task continually confronting us.
FOOD SAMPLING.
In addition to the samples taken for analysis under the
provisions of the Food and Drugs Acts. 1938 and 1950. samples
were also taken for bacteriological examination, and full details
are given in the following tables.