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
Heston and Isleworth 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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tor the absence of a positive policy on the matter in the Regulations is rather obscure and I venture
to suggest in fairness to those butchers who have provided fixed windows on request, that
provisions should be made, in the near future, for enforcing compulsorily, that all meat shall only
be exposed and sold behind fixed glazed windows without any qualifications.
Out of a total of 73 butchers' shops in the district, 55 are provided with fixed windows, 3
other shops are provided with one fixed window and one window made to open ; 2 have one fixed
window and two windows made to open, and the remainder have windows made to open.
INSPECTION OF OTHER FOODS.
I have drawn attention in previous reports, to the want of perspective with regard to
butchers' windows, and the way in which sweets, dates, figs, and other sticky things are exposed
to contamination without let or hindrance. The large open multiple stores which are now coming
into being provide a very definite problem in this direction.
Sale of Food and Drugs Act.—I am indebted to Dr. J. Tate, County Medical Officer, for the following report, as to the samples purchased in this area during 1936.
| Article. | Taken. | Adulterated., |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 214 | 3 |
| Cream Cakes | 1 | — |
| Gin | 5 | — |
| Rum | 1 | — |
| Whisky | 10 | 2 |
| Sausages | 5 | — |
| Lemon Sole | 2 | — |
| Fish Paste | 1 | — |
| Meat | 1 | — |
| Minced Beef | 1 | — |
| Hake | 1 | — |
| Pepper | 1 | — . |
| Sausages | 6 | — |
| Wine | 1 | — |
| 245 | 5 |
There were no prosecutions.
UNSOUND FOOD, 1936
| Tons. | cwts. | qrs. | lbs. | ozs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | 5 | 1 | 7 | 4 | |
| Meat | 18 | 3 | 21 | 6 | |
| Poultry | 1 | 19 | 15 | ||
| Rabbit | 6 | 8 | |||
| Total | 1 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 1 |