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

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Kingston upon Thames 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]

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Article of Food.Reasons for Action.Weight, lbs.
B/Fwd.18,023¼
Cheese and Fat.
Cheese21334¾
FatDecomposition
Flour & fat (mixed)311
Sausages.Decomposition24
SweetsContamination2
Totals-18,384 lbs.
Shell Eggs.10,876 (Number)

It is worthy of note that only 180½ lbs. of raw meat were
condemned because of diseased condition. The remainder of the
1653½ lbs. was rendered unfit by reason of contamination or
decomposition. This weight of meat may not represent many
rations compared with the total issue, but it is a matter for
extreme regret that any such unnecessary wastage of human food
should occur. The same comment applies to the fish and to a
greater degree to the several tons of canned foods which were
found to be unfit. The responsibility for this wastage, much
of which is avoidable, cannot be placed in any one quarter. There
are many factors which have to be considered, but this should not
be accepted as a reason, or excuse, for laissez-faireism.
It is far from pleasant to realise that nearly 11,000
shell eggs were destroyed during the year. This figure does not
take into account all those which were sold and which were found
to be unfit by customers. It frequently happens that customers,
for one reason or another, fail to take the offending egg back
to the retailer who sold it. It must be understood that the
retailer cannot choose the eggs for his shop. He has to accept
those allocated to him in exactly the same way as the butcher
has to accept his allocation of meat. Eggs do not usually
become decomposed within a week or two. At one time they used
to be considered as 'new-laid' if not more than one month old.
Some of those which were condemned must have seen many months
come and go, but others were likely to have been kept under
bad conditions for a shorter period.
There is room for a complete investigation into the whole
question of food wastage.