London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Stepney 1961

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]

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supplied by a certain egg packing station in East.Anglia, The laboratory
at County Hall reported that in none of the samples had they been able to
isolate organisms of the Salmonella group.
Added attention was given during the year to milk supplied from milk
vending machines on private forecourts. These machines are now a commonplace.
From the 5 machines in Stepney 36 samples were submitted for
chemical analysis and bacteriological examination. All were satisfactory.
It was noticeable that whereas the fat content of samples of milk obtained
from other sources was subject to occasional marked fluctuations, that of
samples from machines was fairly uniform and never less than 3.3%. (The
legal presumed standard is 3.0% minimum fat content).
A summary of the visits made by the Public Health Inspectors (Food)
to food premises will be found on pages 66 and 67.
Bacteriological Examination of Foodstuffs.
Samples of foods submitted for bacteriological examination numbered
1,268, as compared with 4-00 last year, and comprised 84I samples of desiccated
coconut, 315 dried whole hen egg powder (Chinese, Mexican, American
& Australian),21 dried hen egg albumen (Chinese, American and Argentinian),
8 liquid whole egg (English), 2 dried egg yolk (American),1 liquid
hen egg yolk (English),22 Ice Cream,16 Tuberculin Tested (Pasteurised)
milk, 13 Pasteurised milk, 12 sterilised milk, 9 quick frozen prawns
(Japanese),3 cheddar cheese, 2 chillies, 1 cooked minced beef, 1 cooked
chicken, 1 curried chicken.
24 egg powder and 7 egg albumen samples were found to contain various
salmonellae organisms and the packages were detained under the Public
Health (imported Food) Regulations for re-export or heat treatment. In
some cases whole consignments of albumen were dealt with in this manner.
Two samples of desiccated coconut contained salmonellae, one case being
destroyed, the other released for sterilisation under supervision, A
consignment of chillies, polluted by river water, was found to contain
E.coli and was destroyed.
Basement Bakehouses.
The fourth quinquennial examination of basement bakehouses took
place in 1959, and as a result notice was given to the occupiers of the
remaining five basement bakehouses in the Borough that the Certificates
of Suitability issued with respect to the premises under the Factory &
Workshop Act, 1901, would cease to have effect after 31st July, I960.
By that date all the bakehouses were closed with the exception of Nos.
3/5, Dock Street. The proprietors were summoned in December I960, and
again in March this year for using the bakehouse when the Certificate of
Suitability had been withdrawn. On the latter occasion, they were fined
£15 and ordered to pay £7. costs in respect of the two dates concerned.
The premises then ceased to be used as a bakehouse.
Bakehouses and Bakers Shops.
Two summonses were issued against the proprietors of Bakers' shops
for selling cake containing foreign bodies. Fines of £25. with costs of
£8. 13. 0d.were imposed.
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