View report page

40
"At the request of the School Meals Organiser a lecture
demonstration was arranged for approximately one hundred kitchen
staff on Friday, 31st August, 2 p.m.-4.15 p.m. in the Sir George
Monoux School Hall.
"The lecture illustrated with diagrams prepared in the Department
dealt with the local and general incidence of food poisoning
including the alarming increase in the number of cases in recent
years. The nature and sources of the organisms, the factors controlling
their rate of growth and the responsibilities of all food
handlers were described in simple terms.
"The Chief Public Health Inspector then gave a talk detailing
the practical methods of sterilisation, the correct techniques
applicable to susceptible foods and the importance of strict compliance
with the regulations dealing with personal and general food
hygiene.
"During a short tea break demonstrations were given to groups
of about twelve at a time, of actual culture plates showing colonies
of various bacteria grown from such sources as dirty tea towels and
unwashed hands. Sterile plates were inoculated from a tea towel,
tea from a cup, a handkerchief, from ordinarily clean hands, hands
recently washed and from unwashed hands after visiting the w.c.
"This demonstration was followed by two film strips "Control
of Bacteria in Food" produced by a well-known catering firm,
and "Food Poisoning" prepared by the Ealing Health Department;
and by the sound film "Another Case of Food Poisoning."
"Finally a summing up was given by the School Meals
Organiser and a number of questions answered by the Chief Public
Health Inspector. The experimentally contaminated plates were
incubated and subsequently shown to the staff upon whom a very
deep impression had quite evidently been made.
"The films, projector and projectionist (together with posters)
were kindly loaned by the County Medical Officer through the
County Health Education Officer and the bacteriological demonstration
material was supplied by the Central Public Health Laboratory,
Colindale.
"The demonstration was considered to have been very successful
and was repeated at half term to a further 100/150 personnel
including dining room staffs."
In October reminders were sent to all persons working in
canteens as to the need to report at once any enteritis and to
remain away from work until permitted to resume by the Medical
Officer of Health,
Any similar illness in other persons living in the same dwelling
were also to be reported.