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
Harrow 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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49
(C) OTHER FOODS.
Inspection and Supervision.
During the year, 2,187 visits were made to premises at which food
was prepared or sold. As a result much work resulting in improvement
of the premises was carried out. During the year, much of the preliminary
work of the cleaner food handling campaign was carried out.
The following is a summary of the food found to be unfit for human consumption during the year, and either destroyed locally or disposed of by the salvage division of the Ministry of Food:—
| lbs. | tins | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh meat (home killed and imported) | 1,188 | |
| Tinned Meat (including bacon and sausages) | 2,805 | 901 |
| Other meat products (including poultry) | 880 | |
| Fresh fish | 4,995 | |
| Tinned fish | 743 | 2,032 |
| Fresh vegetables | 3,948 | |
| Tinned vegetables | 1,759 | 1,329 |
| Fresh fruit | 231 | |
| Tinned fruit ... | 1,356 | 723 |
| Groceries (including jam, cereals, cake mixture, cooking fats, dried egg, etc.) | 3,076 | |
| Tinned milk | 1,043 | 1,114 |
| Shell eggs | 3,994 |
The total weight of food found unfit during the year was a little under
10 tons. This represents an increase of approximately 8 per cent. over
the quantity involved during the year 1946.
Ice-cream.
On the 31st December, 22 premises were registered for the manufacturing
of ice-cream, and 185 others for the retailing of this commodity.
Most of the premises registered for retailing deal only in pre-packed
cream ; they give rise to little trouble.
During the year, 227 visits were made to the premises of manufacturers
or persons dealing in loose cream. In a number of cases, as a result
of advice given, structural improvements were carried out, or new and
improved equipment installed.
Registration of Hawkers.
S. 279 of the Middlesex County Council Act obliges a hawker of meat,
fish, fruit and vegetables himself to be registered with the local authorities,
and obliges the owner of any premises used to see they are registered.
(D) ADULTERATION OF FOOD.
In spite of the lead given by the Local Government and Public
Health Consolidation Committee set up with a view to recommending
the consolidation of Local Government and Public Health law, that
authorities with a population of not less than 40,000 should become
Food and Drugs Authorities, the Minister of Health on the representation
of the Middlesex County Council declined to make an order endowing the
D